Published 9/27/2023 I’m a tried and true Wendy’s chili lover. A cup of chili plus one of their baked potatoes is seriously what dreams are made of and what I order when I go to Wendy’s. Today we’re sharing our at-home version of Wendy’s chili that you can make right in your own kitchen. We tried to get the ingredients, texture, and flavor to be spot on with Wendy’s chili, and we think we nailed it on the head! This chili is super basic, doesn’t call for any crazy ingredients, and comes together in about 30 minutes on the stovetop!
What You Need for Copycat Wendy’s Chili
Ground Beef: Wendy’s uses ground beef in their chili, so that’s exactly what we did. Try to use a beef that has a little more fat – it adds flavor! Beans: Wendy’s uses red kidney beans and pinto beans in their chili, so we’re using the same. Veggies: Traditional Wendy’s chili includes onions, celery, and green pepper. Tomatoes: This is a tomato-based chili featuring tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. A triple whammy! Spices: How you season a chili is what makes it unique. In our opinion, we nailed the chili seasoning for this recipe – it tastes just like Wendy’s! Use a combination of chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, ground oregano, and salt. Brown Sugar: Adds a little sweetness and brings out all of the amazing flavors.
Wendy’s Chili Variations
All of our chili recipes are incredibly versatile and this copycat Wendy’s chili recipe is no exception. Instead of:
Beef, use ground turkey or chicken Kidney and pinto beans, use 2 cans of your favorite beans (black beans, garbanzo beans, and navy beans are all great choices) Diced tomatoes, use the same amount of crushed tomatoes Chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin, use 1/3 cup of our homemade chili seasoning (this won’t replicate the exact Wendy’s chili flavor, but it works in a pinch)
Storage
Make a batch of Wendy’s chili to enjoy all week long! Let the chili cool, transfer it into airtight containers, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. It will thicken as it sits, so feel free to add a splash of water or broth to thin it out before reheating.
Chili Recipes
Classic Chili Recipe Turkey Chili Vegetarian Chili Instant Pot Chili Texas Chili Crockpot Chicken Chili
How to Freeze Wendy’s Chili
You can easily freeze this Wendy’s copycat chili recipe as well as the real Wendy’s chili. Once the chili is completely cool, transfer into a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Check out our guide all about how to freeze soup and chili for even more tips and tricks.
Serving Suggestions
Bored of plain old chili? Here are some fun ways to serve this Wendy’s chili: Classic Chili Toppings: We love topping bowls of Wendy’s chili with any and all of your favorite chili toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, pickled jalapeños, sliced avocado or guacamole, and crackers or tortilla chips. Baked Potato: Top a baked potato in foil or slow cooker baked potato with this chili. Chili Cheese Fries: Make our favorite air fryer sweet potato fries and top them with a big scoop of hot chili. Chili Nachos: Top tortilla chips with chili and cheese and broil it for 2-3 minutes. I’ve done this countless nights at home with leftover chili and it is so dang good. Chili Mac: We have an epic recipe for chili mac! Swap out our beef chili for this chili!
