Wendy’s copycat chili is thick, hearty, and loaded with beans, vegetables, and perfectly seasoned ground beef. Slow-simmered to bring out rich flavors, it’s the ultimate dump-and-go chili that tastes just like the restaurant favorite—only better. Perfect for weeknight dinners or game day, it’s a family-approved classic you’ll want to make again and again.
Love More Chili Recipes? Try My Chicken Pumpkin Chili or this Apple Beef Chili Recipe next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s thick, hearty, and perfectly spiced, with flavors that feel like pure comfort in a bowl. A big batch makes it budget-friendly and ideal for feeding the family or packing into lunches for the week. Best of all, the flavors only get better the next day, making the leftovers something to look forward to.
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Wendy’s Copycat Chili
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: About 10 cups
Description
Easy homemade version of Wendy’s famous chili made with ground beef, vegetables, kidney beans, and the perfect spice blend. Simmers for hours to develop rich, authentic flavors.
Ingredients
The Protein & Vegetables:
- 2 lb ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
The Tomato Base:
- 46 oz tomato juice
- 29 oz tomato sauce
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices
The Spice Blend:
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp white sugar
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust for heat)
The Finishing Touch:
- 15 oz can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
Cook the ground beef with chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery in your big pot over medium-high heat. Takes about 8-10 minutes until the beef browns and vegetables get soft. Drain most of the fat but leave a little for flavor.
Put the meat back in the pot and add tomato juice, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with their juice, and the drained kidney beans. Stir everything together so it’s mixed well.
Add all your spices – chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, sugar, and cayenne. Stir it up and bring the whole thing to a boil.
Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer without a lid for 2-3 hours. Stir it every 20 minutes so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes.
Notes
Make it Saturday night and reheat Sunday – tastes incredible the next day
Stir every 20 minutes or it’ll stick and burn on the bottom
Taste it after 2 hours and add more cayenne if you want heat
Use a big spoon to stir – wooden ones won’t scratch your pot
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
The Protein & Vegetables:
- 2 lb ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
The Tomato Base:
- 46 oz tomato juice
- 29 oz tomato sauce
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, with juices
The Spice Blend:
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp white sugar
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust for heat)
The Finishing Touch:
- 15 oz can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
I buy the cheapest ground beef at Costco – usually 80/20 works great. If you only have 90/10, add a tablespoon of olive oil when browning.
Why These Ingredients Work
Ground beef is the star here, but not just any ground beef. I tried lean meat once and the chili tasted flat. The 80/20 blend gives you enough fat for flavor without making it greasy.
Onion, bell pepper, and celery might seem like random vegetables, but my sister-in-law worked at Wendy’s in college and told me this is their actual base. Don’t skip the celery – it adds a subtle crunch that makes all the difference.
The tomato juice and sauce combination took me forever to figure out. Most recipes use just sauce, but Wendy’s uses both. The juice keeps it from getting too thick, and the sauce adds body.
That white sugar confused me at first, but it cuts the acid from the tomatoes. My mom always added sugar to her spaghetti sauce for the same reason.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Big pot (I use my 8-quart Dutch oven)
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Can opener
- Wooden spoon for stirring
- Ladle
How To Make Wendy’s Copycat Chili
Step 1: Brown the Meat and Vegetables
Cook the ground beef with chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery in your big pot over medium-high heat. Takes about 8-10 minutes until the beef browns and vegetables get soft. Drain most of the fat but leave a little for flavor.
Step 2: Add All the Wet Ingredients
Put the meat back in the pot and add tomato juice, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with their juice, and the drained kidney beans. Stir everything together so it’s mixed well.
Step 3: Season and Bring to Boil
Add all your spices – chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, sugar, and cayenne. Stir it up and bring the whole thing to a boil.
Step 4: Reduce Heat and Simmer
Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer without a lid for 2-3 hours. Stir it every 20 minutes so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes.
You Must Know
Never drain all the beef fat – you need some for taste. I learned this the hard way when my first batch tasted like cardboard.
My Secret: I always simmer for the full 3 hours, even when I’m tempted to serve it early. The extra time makes the flavors blend together like magic. My impatient teenagers have learned to wait because they know it’s worth it.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Make it Saturday night and reheat Sunday – tastes incredible the next day
- Stir every 20 minutes or it’ll stick and burn on the bottom
- Taste it after 2 hours and add more cayenne if you want heat
- Use a big spoon to stir – wooden ones won’t scratch your pot
Flavor Variations & Suggestions
- My neighbor adds corn kernels the last hour – surprisingly good
- Swap kidney beans for chili beans if you want more flavor
- Add chopped jalapeños when you brown the vegetables for kick
- Sprinkle in some smoked paprika if you like smoky taste
Make-Ahead Options
This chili loves the refrigerator. Make it up to 3 days early and just reheat when you’re ready to eat. I portion it into containers and freeze some for busy weeks – it keeps for 3 months frozen.
When reheating, add a splash of water if it got too thick in the fridge. Heat it slowly on the stove, stirring occasionally.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
Don’t rush the simmering – this isn’t fast food even though we’re copying fast food. If it looks too watery after 2 hours, keep cooking with the lid off. If it’s getting too thick, splash in more tomato juice.
The sugar isn’t making it sweet – it’s balancing flavors. Trust me on this one.
Serving Suggestions
We eat this over baked potatoes when I want a complete meal. My kids love it on hot dogs for chili dogs, and my husband mixes it with macaroni for chili mac.
Top it with shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, or oyster crackers. Sometimes I just eat it plain with saltines on the side.
How to Store Your Wendy’s Copycat Chili
- Keep it in the fridge for 4 days in covered containers
- Freeze portions for up to 3 months – I use freezer bags
- Reheat slowly on the stove, stirring often
- Add water or broth if it got too thick
Allergy Information
This basic recipe doesn’t have dairy, gluten, or nuts. Watch your toppings though – cheese and sour cream add dairy.
Make it vegetarian: Use plant-based ground meat instead of beef Reduce sodium: Buy no-salt tomato products and cut the salt in half
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I use my slow cooker?
Yes, but brown the meat and vegetables first, then dump everything in the slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.
Why doesn’t mine taste like Wendy’s? Make sure you use both tomato juice AND sauce, plus don’t forget the sugar and oregano. Those make the difference.
Too spicy for my kids?
Leave out the cayenne pepper. Adults can add hot sauce to their own bowls.
What ground beef works best?
I like 80/20 for flavor, but 85/15 works fine too. Avoid 90/10 – too lean and tastes bland.
💬 Made this chili? Tell me how it turned out! Did your family like it as much as mine does?
