Best Easy Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe

This copycat Wendy’s chili is quick and easy to make. It’s seriously the best copycat recipe you’ll ever make. If you’re a fan of Wendy’s famous chili then you’re going to absolutely love this homemade Wendy’s chili recipe with it’s simple ingredient list. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a game day gathering, you wont regret making this chili recipe in your own kitchen.

This is a reader favorite Wendy’s copycat chili recipe that has been saved over 100 000 times. Bookmark our beloved chili today!

Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe

We’re excited to share a quick and easy copycat Wendy’s chili recipe that we make really often in our home. Starting around back to school time we make this easy chili recipe about once per week. It’s delicious for dinner and makes plenty of leftovers for lunches throughout the week.

This simple Wendy’s chili copycat recipe is so close to the real thing that most people will not realize that this is a homemade chili and not store bought at Wendy’s. It’s seriously that good. 

The thing with chili is that my family is a big fan of a soupier style chili with a savory spiced tomato sauce type broth. Overly dense mega-hearty chili recipes that are super thick just aren’t my families thing.

It’s a texture thing for us and we just prefer the thinner type of chili like the one served up at any Wendy’s restaurant.

After loads of tweaking and making chili in more different ways than I can count, I’ve come up with a simple Wendy’s chili recipe copycat that is a hit with anyone who tastes it.

It’s even better the next day so make a double batch to enjoy for a couple days or freeze leftovers for a day when you’re really not in the mood to cook. 

Start to finish, this copycat Wendy’s chili takes just around 90 minutes to make.

It’s loaded with tender ground beef, onion, celery, green bell pepper, two types of beans and spiced perfectly with flavorful chili seasoning to create a delicious warm bowl of chili you can enjoy any night of the week.

In a rush? get the recipe card by scrolling the bottom of this post.

What Makes Our Copycat Wendy’s Chili Different?

Unlike some copycat homemade chili recipes that rely heavily on crushed tomatoes and tomato puree this recipe uses tomato juice and beef stock to create an incredibly rich and delicious chili with a thinner consistency without compromising any flavor.

Also, we opt out of using spices like garlic powder and onion powder in favor of fresh diced onion instead. Of course you can always add some to your copycat Wendy’s chili. I don’t find it’s necessary but it surely wont hurt the chili taste one bit.

To keep the liquid in this copycat Wendy’s Chili from getting too thick I also hold off on adding my chili beans until the last 10 minutes.

Waiting until the very end prevents the beans from breaking down and naturally thickening the chili while it cooks.

What Goes Into Copycat Wendy’s Chili

• fresh ground beef
• ​olive oil
• onion
• celery
• green peppers
• tomato juice
• tomato puree (not tomato paste)
• beef stock
• pinto beans 
• dark red kidney beans
• chili powder (not chili pepper)
• ground cumin
• cayenne pepper (a little goes a long way if you’re looking for some added heat)
• white vinegar
• white sugar
• salt
• pepper

How To Make Copycat Wendy’s Chili

1. Brown your ground beef in1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Drain off any excess grease and liquid.
2. In a large pot or dutch oven add the drained ground beef and all the rest of the ingredients except the chili beans.
3. Cook covered on low heat for approximately 90 minutes to let the flavors really marry together. You’re looking to cook this low and slow. Stir often.
4. Add your drained and rinsed beans during the last 10-15 minutes. Raise to medium heat to heat through. You do not want the beans to overcook and start to thicken your chili so you really don’t want to cook them a long time.
5. Serve warm. Top with your favorite chili toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, diced onions or green chilis.
6. Store leftover chili in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Or, freeze uneaten portions for up to 6 months.

Our Favorite Ways To Eat Copycat Wendy’s Chili

• As a main dish, served piping hot and loaded with toppings like shredded cheese, hot sauce, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips and small pieces of minced onions.
• On a chili dog when enjoying a gourmet chili hot dog or on a perfectly baked potato.
• Served over a bed of white rice when you’re looking for a quick and easy recipe during the week. You can also enjoy over plain white pasta, quinoa or even bulgar for a tasty alternative.
• As an addition to your favorite chili mac recipe.
• As part of a chili board with loads of your favorite toppings like green chilies, pickled jalapenos, diced onions, crackers, sour cream,  spicy chili sauce, shredded sharp cheese, tortilla chips, corn bread.
• Side dish to a huge hunk of delicious cornbread and a big green salad

Copycat Wendy’s Chili Tips

• Use beef broth and tomato juice to really thin out this chili recipe and prevent the texture from turning out too thick.
• If your chili is getting to thick while it simmers at a cup of water or two. Remember to taste and adjust the seasoning to keep the flavor.
• Add a couple more tablespoons of chili powder to really boost the flavor. Taste as you go to get it just right.
• Swap out your red kidney beans for black beans if that’s all you’ve got on hand. It’s the perfect recipe for a variety of different bean types.
• Reheat in a microwave safe container for a quick and easy lunch or dinner option.
• Make a double or triple batch to create a chili buffet to feed a large crowd.
• Offer a variety of delicious toppings to make it a feast!
• Swap white sugar for brown sugar to add more depth of flavor.

Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Copycat Wendy’s Chili

My stove top copycat Wendy’s chili recipe can easily be adapted to the crock pot. Follow all the same steps but assemble your chili in a slow cooker and cook on high for approximately 5-6 hours. Add your red and white beans during the last hour to heat through. 

You can even make our favorite chili recipe in an Instant Pot. On sauté mode brown your ground beef making sure to drain off any excess grease before adding the remaining ingredients. Like the stove top and crock pot version you’ll want to leave your beans out to prevent this chili from getting to thick. Set the Instant Pot to pressure for 20 minutes and release the pressure manually. Put the instant pot back on sauté and add in your beans. Let it bubble for about 5 minutes to heat the beans through.

I hope you plan to give this recipe a try the next time you plan to make a big pot of chili for your family. I’d love to find out how it turned out! Drop a comment down below letting us know how you enjoyed it.

​This post may contain affiliate links. This Tiny Blue House is a member of Amazon Affiliates LLC and may make a small commission at zero cost to you should you make a purchase via one of our referring links. Thank you for supporting us!