Got leftovers? We've got recipes. 18 delicious recipes using cooked chicken (plus 9 bonus recipes!)
Wendy's Chili
- add review
- #12636
Wendy's has one of the most famous bowls of chili in the business, and now it's yours. Tomato juice, red beans and heaps of spices help turn some ground beef into a total classic.
serves/makes:
ready in:
1-2 hrs
1-2 hrs
47 reviews
5 comments
ingredients
2 pounds fresh ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 quart tomato juice
1 can (29 ounce size) tomato puree
1 can (15 ounce size) red beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
directions
Add the ground beef, onion, celery, and bell pepper to a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring to break up the meat, for 5 minutes or until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
Add the remaining ingredients to the Dutch oven. Mix well then cover the pan and reduce the heat to a very low simmer. Cook, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or until the chili is fragrant. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Serve hot with any desired toppings.
nutrition data
436 calories, 25 grams fat, 29 grams carbohydrates, 27 grams protein per serving.
In a cooking rut? Try one of these taste-tested, family-approved recipes using ground beef.
A can of cream of mushroom soup can be a real dinner saver. It works great in casseroles and can turn into a sauce or gravy in a pinch.
reviews & comments
July 18, 2021
I have never had Wendy's chili but I can tell you this chili is delicious! It's a basic recipe but there is nothing basic about the taste. It's quite delicious and full-flavored. I make it on the stove and then put in crock pot for a couple hours for the flavors to meld. So good!
June 24, 2021
Fab. I usually review with pics but this disappeared too quickly! I used to LOVE Wendy's chili but never got around to trying a copycat. Our household has since been vegan for years now but the protein in this recipe was easily substitutable for plant protein and it tastes just like i remember. My partner, who'd never tried the chain's version, says this definitely needs to go into rotation. Based on a similar recipe, i did use 2 cans of beans and i also subbed 2 cans of Rotel and 1.5 cups water for the juice and puree, just to save on sodium.
January 8, 2017
I made this chili yesterday. We loved it so much we had it again tonight. It was better today. I'm freezing the rest hope it freezes well. By the way I double the receipe.😁
January 27, 2015
this is the recipe I have had for years. Much better than others. More beans two colors.
I would just like for everyone know that according to the manager of the Laurens,SC Wendy's that Wendy's changed their chilli recipe about 6 weeks ago and I bought some yesterday and it taste and looked like slop. It tasted like condensed tomato soup not watered down and the beans the consistency of refried beans. I didn't even see any meat in it or chunks of green peppers like the great original recipe did. Please don't waste your money like I did if your Wendy's has changed over to this new recipe. It is just horrible.
All the more reason then to make the chili at home with this copycat recipe! (also, I removed your negative rating because you clearly are complaining about the restaurant, not this recipe, and this website has no affiliation with the restaurant)
September 27, 2014
Couldn't tell you what Wendy's chili tastes like but this is a great chili recipe overall.
November 3, 2013
I brown the ground beef then put all the ingredients in the crock pot on low for the day. Great chili recipe! We make this quite often now.
July 10, 2013
Excellent chili. You can let this simmer longer or simmer it for a while then throw it in the crock pot to cook all day.
April 4, 2013
I have made it several times now, my husband said stop looking, this is our go to chili. I do use hot and medium Bushes red chili beans.
October 3, 2011
This recipe was delicious. It was EXACTLY what I wanted. The flavors were there and the consistency wasn't too thick. My only comment is this. Seriously, halve the recipe. It says 8 servings but that would be if I were feeding giants. I ended up with a ton of chili. all great stuff but my 4 qt. crock pot couldn't hold it all. it's alot. :)
June 1, 2011
I made the recipe with the following modifications. I used ground turkey instead of beef. I browned it and then cooked it for 10 minutes in a pressure cooker. Then, I opened the pressure cooker, added the remaining ingredients and cooked it for 15 minutes under pressure. It came out great, and I think it tastes very close to Wendy's. Sometimes, Wendy's oversalts their recipe.
January 17, 2011
Make it easier use 4oz can chopped green chili and Can chopped tomatoes. DEGAS the pinto/kidney beans by rinsing them in water. Oh, and discard the liquid from the beans, instead add 32oz beef or chicken broth. I threw a can of manwich(original) in and that really added to the flavor.
We just got 8" of snow in Athens, GA, so I put a big pot of this on about an hour ago! Haven't had it yet, but it smells delicious. Can't wait!
January 7, 2011
I have been having a major craving for Wendy's chili. I went 3 times in two weeks just for the chili. Saw this recipe and decided to try it. Ok, YUM! Smells, tastes and looks just like Wendy's! Will make it over and over again till the craving is gone! I halved the recipe and it came out just fine.
December 27, 2010
Pretty darn close.........I used Hunts sauce and it was really close to what I get at Wendy's...It was even better on day 2 ! This is my new "Go To" Chili recipe.
December 5, 2010
Taste JUST like Wendy's :)
November 16, 2010
I bought a book with different recipes from chain restaurants in it. One of the recipes was this one for Wendy's Chili. However, I have misplaced the book, (probably loaned it out and it wasn't returned!) and needed to find another recipe for it. This is the exact same recipe for Wendy's Chili! As you can see by all the positive comments, it really is a wonderful recipe. My family loves it and wants me to make it so often that I get tired of chili. With the cold, damp weather it's a great way to keep 'em warm from the inside out. Left overs are even better the next day! This also freezes well.
October 28, 2010
I drained the beans, subsituted mild chili peppers for jalapino's and added 2 teaspoons of coco powder. My best chili I've made.
October 24, 2010
I made this chili for a party I had last night. It was a huge hit. It's very mild, so if you like heat, spice it up. I just put out some jalopeno peppers and hot sauce for people to add themselves. Top it with cheese and sour cream....so delicious!
October 21, 2010
I've made this chili several times a year for 4 or 5 years now. Everyone always loves it. Couple of easy corners to cut: Just use two cans of diced unseasoned tomatoes and a small can of diced green chiles instead of chopping yourself. Also, this is the PERFECT chili to top with sharp cheddar, Fritos, and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!
October 12, 2010
ate this chili in Wendy's in Amarillo,Tx last Friday, it is simply awsome! I will use this recipe always!
October 11, 2010
I used this recipe for a chili cook-off we had at work today and everybody absolutely loved it. I had never made chili before so I was kind of iffy about it but it turned out great. I ommitted the pinto beans and celery and made it in the crock pot. Delicious!
September 25, 2010
This awesome chili. I have been making it for a about 5 years now and my family loves it!
August 27, 2010
Wow..Very easy to make... Tastes very good... very similar to Wendy's. Which is my favorite... Tastes better than my own chili recipe... Instead of fresh tomatoes I used a small can of diced tomatoes. Will be using this recipe from now on...
July 29, 2010
I've made this several times cutting the recipe in half, and in the crock-pot. Today was the full recipe, on the stove top using 1 fresh Serrano chili. To me it is better than Wendy's and I will only make this recipe anymore and on the stove top!! :)
July 22, 2010
Add some saltines and Wendy's "chili sauce" and its almost perfect.
May 18, 2010
I've never made Chili before and I'm a huge fan of Wendy's Chili. This recipe was so easy and tastes just as good, if not better than Wendy's chili. I LOVE it!!
This is a pretty good chili recipe but be warned - it does not taste anything like Wendy's Chili. (I am referring to the fast food chain restaurant known as "Wendy's®". )It is best when first made, it was not that good the next day. I am going to keep looking for a Wendy's Chili recipe.
What did you find different about this recipe from the stuff you get at the fast food chain? More information is helpful to other visitors
February 21, 2010
Mmmm.. I must say, this chili turned out pretty good! Its very simple to make and easier to enjoy if you make it in a crock pot... BUT... THE BEST chili I hae ever tried would be J Alexander's Red River Chili.. very tasty! Very good!
January 17, 2010
This recipe is fantastic! I halved everything since I made it for just 2 people. I also changed the fresh tomatoes and green chiles for one 15 1/2 ounce can of diced tomatoes with chiles. I also omitted the salt since when I cooked the ground beef I added salt, pepper and garlic at that point. I will definately make this again. In my opinion it tastes almost identical to Wendy's chili. Whomever created this recipe got it right on the target!
November 16, 2009
Outstanding! I did not use the cummin or chili powder, but instead put in 2 TSP of McCormicks Taco Seasoning. Also, my crock pot was too full to add the water so skipped it, but the consistancy was just fine due to the bean liquids. Cooking time in crock pot: one hour on high, then switch to low and cook until celery is at desired tenderness, another 3+ hours. The chili was fairly mild as cooked; family members later added a little chili powder to taste and everyone was happy that way!
October 19, 2009
My beau made this chile dish to take on a fishing trip. It was wonderful. Appealed to all because it is not too spicy for the kids and we added hot sauce to ours. Got better each time it was heated and we froze it to take fishing!! Better than Wendys!!
October 4, 2009
Easy to do and turned out terrific! Tastes just like the real thing!! Well done!!!
In last review of this recipe I also omitted the pinto beans (Wendy's chili does NOT have these kinds of beans in it). STILL TURNED OUT GREAT!!!!!!
September 16, 2009
OMG!!!!! Can't beleive how GREAT this turned out. After adding all the ingredients it looked and smelled just like Wendy's chili BEFORE simmering!! Out of all the chili recipes I've prepared in the past this has got to be the BEST and ONE I have been looking for. I did cut the prep. time short by doing the following: substituted onions, green chili, celery, and diced tomatoes w/ 2 cans (14.5 oz) Hunt's diced tomatoes w/ green pepper, celery, and onion (yes this is an actual product found in the same aisle as tomaato products) ). I also used ground turkey to cut down on the fat.
August 11, 2009
Try this as a crock-pot! After frying the meat in a skillet add all ingredeints to the crock-pot and cook 4-6 hours on low. It's our weekly winter meal! It's great and easy!
I was very disappointed in this. I followed the recipe exactly and it does not taste like Wendy's chili!
Why? What is different about it? Was it good otherwise - despite not resembling what you think it should taste like?
March 29, 2009
This is so good! Much better than restaurant (even the most popular varieties). Versitile too.. I used the leftovers the next day for Nachoes!
January 13, 2009
My daughter-in-law made this for me and I could not believe how good it was. It is just like the one from Wendey's. Thanks for the receipe.
January 13, 2009
My daughter-in-law made this for me and I could not believe how good it was. It is just like the one from Wendey's. Thanks for the receipe.
October 4, 2008
This was a great recipe but my son would acutally prefer it with out beans. I took the bean (juice and all) and put them through a blender until they were liquified and then added them and he never new....but still got he protein!
September 30, 2008
This is such a great recipe. I have made it about 10 times over the past year. We always double or triple and then freeze in meal size containers. Perfect for a lunch that you forget to make something for just pull out of the freezer and by lunch it is defrosted.
August 30, 2008
I have made this recipe a couple of times already. I always come back to it. It's basic, its simple, its cheap to make and its DARN GOOD. there have been several times when I didn't have an ingredient. (green chili or pinto beans.) and it came out great. must have for quick meals for kids/family/self.
July 12, 2008
My mom LOVES Wendy's chili. She literally will get it many times a week and a few at a time. When I told her I ran across this recipe she made me go to the store immediately and get the goods we didn't have. She about died when she tasted it. This is the BEST chili she or I or anyone else who had some, has ever tasted. It's worth your time. I must say it did feed more than 8 people. It made a huge pot. Just FYI!
May 2, 2008
I never thought I could make great chili until I tried this recipe. I actually think it's better than Wendy's Chili!
January 13, 2008
I would have picked 2-1/2 stars but that wasnt available. It was just OK, however I am hoping it will be better tomorrow, left overs are usually better the second and third time around.
December 20, 2007
Great!!!Tasted just like "Wendy's Chili". I used only 1 teaspoon cumin and two tablespoons of chili powder.
December 19, 2007
This recipe was great!!! Tasted just like the Wendy's Chili. It was so easy to make and very quick for a chili recipe, i would highly recommend trying this recipe if you're looking for a quick, easy and delish recipe!!
December 12, 2007
Quick and easy and delicious! Make extra for the next night or to freeze---it's that good!
November 30, 2007
This is a very easy recipe t follow. It turned out great! Wll make this again for sure!
November 16, 2007
Fabulous! Almost like Wendy's and so easy too!!! Will make this again for sure!
October 4, 2007
Stupendous! Just made this tonight to take along on a camping trip tomorrow...can't wait until everyone else tastes it! It will be even better al fresco! Never made chili without garlic before...it doesn't need it!