Wendy’s Chili Recipe

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April 29, 2010 51 Comments

Wendy’s® makes this classic recipe fresh every day, and you can do the same. Tomato juice really enhances the flavor of this chili, as does the chili powder, though you may want to start off with a little less chili powder. I find that 1/4 cup isn’t too hot, but is very flavorful.

wendy's chili

Wendy’s Chili

Now it is said that Wendy’s Chili is made from grilled hamburger patties that didn’t make it into their burgers. We don’t have you start out with hamburger patties, but the ground beef. We think it is easier to start out this way when you make your own chili this way. If you like, we suggest that you brown this hamburger very throroughly before making your chili.

Wendy's Chili

Author: CopyKat Recipes
Recipe Type: Wendy's, Soup Recipes, Chili Recipe, CopyKat Recipes, Copycat Restaurant Recipes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Serves: 6

Now you can make Wendy's chili at home!

Ingredients

2 pounds freshly ground beef
4 cups (1 quart) tomato juice
1 (29-ounce) can tomato purée
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained ** note new addition
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup chili powder (you may want to use less)
1 teaspoon cumin (if you like real flavor, add more)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

In a frying pan, brown the ground beef, and then drain off the fat. Put the beef and the remaining ingredients into a 6-quart pot. Cover the pot and let the chili simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. You can also put this in the crock pot on low for 3 to 4 hours while the chili simmers.

You can find this recipe in my book CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home

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http://www.facebook.com/tajmakoko April Thames

Have you even had Wendy’s chili? This recipe doesn’t even make good “regular” chili… Had to basically drain off all liquid and start again. Very poor copy.
- Stephanie Manley
  
  I have had the chili. While I appreciate your opinion, I do not share your opinion. Most people that have had this recipe have enjoyed it. I am sorry your personal results did not meet your expectations.
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Mml

Made this exactly by the recipe and it was so bland..
- http://www.copykat.com Stephanie
  
  I wonder what happened? Did you change the recipe?
Sue

I made this chili yesterday and we had some today…VERY GOOD! I did add
another can of kidney beans and a can of diced tomatoes to the recipe. We just
had Wendy’s chili last weekend and it looked as though there were diced tomatoes
in it. When I make any kind of soup/chili I make it one day and we eat it the
next. It just seems to tastes better after it sits. This is a keeper recipe
with my added ingredients.
aatkinson88

I am in the process of making this now. I tripled the recipe as I am making this for a Fat Tuesday party. I used spicy V8 for the tomatoe juice and used a little over half of the required chili powder (may add more). I also substituded 2 cans of tomatoe sauce for diced tomatoes(undrained). I also substituted 2 cups of V8 for beef broth(a trick from my mom). I haven’t added sugar, but may. I also added a little extra cumin, green pepper, used fresh garlic instead of powder, and added a few dashs of hot sauce as I like a spicy chili. So far so good. We will see how it all ends in a few hours. I love having this recipe as a bases to work off of.
Regina Erickson

I made this awesome chili yesterday and my whole family said it was SPOT ON! Tasted just like Wendy’s. I used V8 in place of tomato sauce.Yummy!!!! I will definitely be making this again & again!!!TY CopyKat!!!
Kerry

I just made this and it doesn’t taste like Wendy’s chili at all. It’s more of a soup.
Jen

I take out the celery and put macaroni noodles in it. I love it and so does everyone that has tried it!
Gustavo

What a waste of 2 lbs of ground beef. This recipe was terrible. Wendy’s chili — not even close, and not even an acceptable other than Wendys chili recipe…
Ember

I make mine with V8 juice instead of tomato juice
Judybudy75

Serving size says serves 1- I don’t think so.
mmm..mmm..good

Just got done making this and it is is jus like wendys, the aroma in my house is amazing right now! I could put it in a wendys chilli bowl and nobody would even know it wasnt the real deal! My new favorite chili recipe hands down!
- http://www.copykat.com Stephanie
  
  I hope your chili is just a little better than Wendy’s!!
Jlester30

Trying this recipe right now. Taste amazing so far! I like it spicy so I added some fresh jalapeno and serrano peppers along with red pepper flakes. Thanks for the recipe!
Yum!

Tried this recipe today, I added 1 habanero and one jalapeno (chopped) to the mix and added slightly more sugar. I also used a mix of ground turkey and ground sirloin. DELICIOUS!!! (tasted like Wendy’s but BETTER!)
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Janet

I added 3 T. brown sugar and 1 tsp. granulated sugar the second time i made it (not sure why) but I loved the outcome!
- MamaMia
  
  Sugar always makes things taste different. During the middle ages sugar was considered a spice.
Hll E

good stuff. in the crock pot now – so far it tastes just like Wendy’s
- Stephanie Manley
  
  I hope you enjoy the chilly, did you brown the meat in the crockpot, or did you start it on the stove top?
Rutti Luck

Way too rich – I had fresh chili powder and we almost choked on the chili because there was too much of it! Did not taste like Wendy’s chili because of the overwhelming richness!
Alisha

I learned how to cook from watching my mom and then recalling as an adult. I have never been able to quite get the chili right and I always think everyone else’s chili is better than mine anyway. I do love Wendy’s chili and I cannot wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing Miss Stephanie.
- Stephanie Manley
  
  I hope you enjoyed this one! Let me know how your own personal chili making went.
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Nadean

I was just thinking abt. Wendy’s Chili yesterday! This sounds soooo delish! I plan on trying it soon.
- http://www.copykat.com Stephanie
  
  I hope you enjoy the copy cat recipe.
Bunn

Love Wendy Chili! Fairly easy to almost duplicate their taste. Always fun to just fool with the basic recipe and change it up.
umsalman

please please please i need the recipe of hardees chilli lava thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanks
Matt

You really want to make this taste like wendys chilli. I worked at Wendys.. Use that burger meat and burn it.. Not like charcoal it to the points its no good just burn it enough so that its black on the outside. Then freeze it over night. The next day boil the meat til its tender, drain and then chop. This is how its done in the store.
mara

14 oz can tomatoes
1 ¼ oz mild chili seasoning (McCormick brand nicer)
2 lb ground beef mince meat.
32 oz can tomato sauce
14 oz can ranch style beans
14 oz can pinto beans
14 oz can kidney beans
10 oz can Rotel diced tomatoes
1 diced onion
1 diced bell pepper
- http://www.facebook.com/keith.marshall.125 Keith Marshall
  
  Not even close to Wendy’s
John

It has kidney beans AND Pinto beans
- http://www.copykat.com Stephanie
  
  I understand the recipe now has kidney beans and pinto beans, when it was developed, the chili had one type of bean.
Cindy

They sure do use patties that haven’t sold in the appropriate amount of time. I worked at Wendy’s for a few years and their chili is the best. They also use leftover grilled chicken, to top their salads.
- Stephanie Manley
  
  You can watch a training video on youtube, look up Wendy’s training video, they talk about how burger patties can turn into chili.
Frank Thompson

Thier chili has Chili beans in it. comes from there website
Bernie Lane

Not only does Wendy’s chili have more than one bean it also has fresh tomatoes.
- Cindy
  
  No fresh tomatoes, only canned. Unless they’ve changed the recipe in the last few years.
  - Anonymous
    
    It now has both. A canned base which is paste and they add water to it and then they add a whole bunch of mashed up tomatoes.
Scott

I made this this weekend. Pretty good. Used a little extra cumin and a little less chili powder and used V8 instead of tomato juice. Not quite Wendy’s anymore but it’s a nice place to start. Love this web site.
Ryan

I’d definitely add more cumin, because I know when it’s real!
tk

“Cover the pot and let the chili simmer for 1 to 1½ hours”

pretty sure on the cups it says Wendy’s chili simmers for 4+ hours. also, you didn’t include chopped up bits of yesterday’s hamburgers.

You are right I do not include the pre grilled hamburgers, I don’t think most of us have those at home – stephanie
- MJT
  
  Have you even been told that sarcasm does not translate well in type form? You sound so angry. I do believe it says stovetop for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, crockpot 3-4 hours.
  Anyone that has ever made chili knows that it tastes better the longer it cooks! Thats why its best leftover!
http://ssecretrestaurantrecipesite.com Frugal Diner

If it weren’t for Wendy’s Chili, my wife and I would never go to Wendy’s. I like the chili, as well any any, but my wife won’t eat anything else at Wendy’s. If she’s not hungry for Chili…we don’t go.
Meg

pinto beans
carole

Doesn’t Wendy’s chili have more than one kind of beans?
- Anonymous
  
  Yes, Wendy’s Chili does have more than one type of beans, but I can not remember what they are (as it’s been a while since i worked there).
http://frantasticfood.com Fran

I haven’t made chili in a long time and have some ground beef calling to me in the fridge. Looks like Wendy’s Chili is in my future!