With ground beef, onion, pepper, tomatoes, and beans, this Wendy’s Chili recipe tastes exactly like the restaurant version. Prepared in the slow cooker, this chili takes minimal prep and makes an easy, hearty dinner.
Wendy’s has the best chili! And with this copycat recipe, you can make it right at home in the slow cooker. Ground beef, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, seasonings and beans slow cook unto a delicious, thick, hearty, and flavorful chili perfect for a chilly night. It also makes a great for topping baked potatoes.
Why You’ll Love This Wendy’s Chili Recipe
What makes this recipe so good? Here are a few things.
- Copycat recipe. If you always add chili to your order at Wendy’s, you’re going to love this recipe. It has the same flavor and thick texture as the chili offered by the fast food chain.
- Set it & forget it. This Wendy’s chili copycat is made in the slow cooker. It’s really as simple as dumping everything in and coming back several hours later.
- Versatile. This chili is fantastic on its own, piled high with toppings, or used as a topping for baked potatoes. I love to serve bowls of it for dinner one night and use the leftovers on baked potatoes the following night.
If you love chili, be sure to check out my classic chili recipe, Cinncinati chili, white chicken chili, and hot dog chili recipes.
What You’ll Need
This copycat recipe is made with ground beef, veggies, beans, and some spices. You can find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Ground beef – Browned and drained.
- Veggies – Onion, bell pepper, and celery. All should be diced into small pieces.
- Tomato paste
- Chili Seasoning – Chili powder, ground cumin, and garlic powder flavor the chili.
- Crushed tomatoes – Adds the rich tomato flavor to the broth.
- Beans – I used both dark red kidney beans and pinto beans. Both should be drained.
- Beef broth – I used canned beef broth.
How To Make Wendy’s Chili
Here’s an overview of how to make Wendy’s Chili at home. You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.
- Combine the ingredients. Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, stirring to ensure they’re evenly distributed.
- Cook. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Enjoy. Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.
Tips & Variations
Here are a few tips to help you make the absolute best copycat Wendy’s chili, as well as a few ways to customize it.
- Brown the beef. Before adding it to the crockpot, be sure to brown the beef on the stovetop. Drain any excess grease before adding it to the crockpot.
- Use your favorite beans. I’m a fan of dark red kidney beans and pinto beans in my chili but other beans like light kidney beans and chili beans can be used.
- Add some heat. If you like some spice in your chili, add some cayenne pepper in with the seasonings.
- Try ground turkey. Ground turkey can used in place of ground beef or you could use a 50/50 mix.
- Stovetop. If you would rather make this on the stove top, simply add the ingredients into a large pot and heat until it comes to a boil on medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite part of any chili is the toppings! I love to load Wendy’s chili with shredded cheddar cheese, diced green onions, and a dollop of sour cream. Don’t forget some crackers on the side!
I will say that this chili is also incredible on top of a baked potato and over chili dogs. It’s a great way to repurpose leftovers.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay good for up to 3 days.
- Freezer. This chili also freezes well! Once it has cooled completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months then thaw in the fridge.
- Reheat. Reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More Copycat Recipes To Try
- Grilled Cheese Burrito (Taco Bell Copycat)
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Panera Copycat)
- Dynamite Shrimp (P.F. Chang’s Copycat)
- Copycat Filet O’ Fish
- Alice Springs Chicken (Outback Copycat)
- Chicken Minis (Chick fil A Copycat)
Wendy’s Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef browned
- 1 onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounces dark red kidney beans drained
- 15 ounces pinto beans drained
- 14.5 ounces beef broth
- Shredded cheddar green onions, sour cream, crackers for serving
Instructions
- To your slow cooker add the cooked ground beef, onion, bell pepper, celery, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans and beef broth.
- Stir.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Serve with shredded cheddar, green onion, sour cream and crackers.
Last Step:
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1 thought on “Wendy’s Chili Recipe”
I have always loved Wendys’ chilli and can’t wait to fix this at home
Thanks for posting