I love me a bowl of Wendy’s Chili! Don’t you? I created this Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe for my whole family to enjoy. My daughter who is four, does not like spicy foods, or chili for that matter, she tried this, and loved it! This recipe is a tad spicy like Wendy’s, not so much the kids won’t eat it.
I have a friend who worked at Wendy’s, and I she told me that at Wendy’s they chop up the hamburgers off the line, that are about to expire, and save them for the chili? Well this is a bit gross, but I do like how big and chunky the meat is. So when making this chili, I cook up seasoned hamburger patties., chop them up, and throw them in the slow cooker, so there is big chunks of meat, just like Wendy’s.
So, after I cooked the meat, I added onions, celery, a Anaheim pepper (these are not spicy), kidney beans, pinto beans, beef broth, tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes, and a chili packet, stirred, and cooked on low for 8 hours, WITH OUT PEEKING! After cooking time is up, ladle into bowls, and top with cheddar cheese, diced onion, and saltines.
I bought the little white paper bowls from a restaurant supply store (Cash and Carry), not good for the environment, but great for taking to work!
- 1 pound ground hamburger
- salt
- pepper
- onion powder
- 1 cup white onion, diced
- 1 Anaheim Pepper, seeds and stem removed, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- (1) 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained
- (1) 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained
- (1) 14 ounce can beef broth
- (1) 6 ounce can tomato paste
- (1) 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- (1) 1.25 ounce packet McCormick Original Chili MIx
- Cheddar Cheese, grated
- White, or yellow onion, diced
- Saltines
- At Wendy's they use chopped up hamburgers, so the meat is bigger and chunkier, so that's what I did, I shaped my hamburger into 4 patties, sprinkled with salt, onion powder, and lots of black pepper, and cooked them on the stove top. Then chopped them up, and threw into the slow cooker. Or you can brown the meat like normal by breaking up as you cook it.
- Add the other ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Stir.
- Cover, set to LOW for 8 hours. Do not open lid during cooking time.
- After cooking time is up, stir, and ladle into bowls, top with onions, cheese, and saltines!
Treasure Box Tuesday(Memories by the Mile), Munching Mondays(Nibbles by Nic), Hun, What’s for Dinner(Simple Supper Tuesday), Miz Helen’s Blogspot(Full Plate Thursday), Kitchen Dreaming(Weekend Social), Strut Yourself Saturdays(Six Sisters Stuff), Crock Pot Ladies(Slow Cooker Saturdays)
Denise says
March 24, 2014 at 9:07 amThis looks so good. My question: can I do this recipe in a 4 qt or does it need to be a 6 er ?
Sarah Olson says
March 24, 2014 at 3:10 pmI don’t think this chili will fit in a 4 quart.
Jodie says
March 24, 2014 at 3:03 pmTHis sounds great! I can’t wait to try!
Sheena @ Hot Eats and Cool Reads says
March 24, 2014 at 5:44 pmThis looks so fantastic! I will have to try it! BTW… I love your background! 🙂
Sandra says
March 24, 2014 at 8:29 pmCan’t wait to make this!!!
Joanne T Ferguson says
March 24, 2014 at 9:18 pmG’day! I LOVE Wendy’s Chili and yours would be perfect today!
Cheers! Joanne
Jennifer Johnson says
March 25, 2014 at 5:18 amI love chili in the slow cooker.
Kim @ {enjoy the view} says
March 25, 2014 at 2:22 pmYum – I love Wendy’s Chili – can’t wait to try your recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Cindy @ Hun... What's for Dinner? says
March 27, 2014 at 8:22 amThe chili was one of my favourite lunches, when I worked at Wendy’s. Great to have found a copycat recipe. Thank you for sharing at Simple Supper.
Diane says
March 29, 2014 at 6:42 amLove the looks of this chili!! saw it over at Kitchen Dreamings Linky Party! I will be making this soon!! 🙂 Diane
Diane says
March 29, 2014 at 6:43 amLove the looks of this chili – YUM!
cannot wait to try this one out 🙂 Diane
Mandi says
March 29, 2014 at 10:52 amI’m always looking for a new chili recipe to try out and I’m so glad I found yours!
Joy @ Yesterfood says
March 30, 2014 at 6:15 amSarah, this looks sooo good, and YES, I love me a bowl of Wendy’s Chili! 😉 This was most-viewed at Treasure Box Tuesday this week, and will be featured at this week’s party! Yay! So be sure to bring enough for everyone… 😀 PINNED!
Ronda@kitchenDreaming.com says
March 31, 2014 at 11:47 amThis looks wonderful! Thanks for bringing it by and linking up at the Weekend Social on http://www.KitchenDreaming.com! We hope to see you again next week.
Heidy L. McCallum says
March 31, 2014 at 1:11 pmWhat a fantastic recipe! We thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you so much for attending Weekend Social Blog Hop and Link Party #13 ! Don’t forget the requirements of being featured . We hope to see you there Friday at 9 PM to kick off week 14! We can hardly wait to see what you surprise us with!!
Heidy L. McCallum of The McCallum’s Shamrock Patch
Miz Helen says
April 1, 2014 at 1:16 pmWhat a great copy kat recipe, I love Wendys Chili! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you again real soon!
Miz Helen
Beth says
September 22, 2014 at 12:34 pmMade this today but it just didn’t do it for me. The flavor is kind of bland and still needs something to give it more of a chili flavor. I think it was the beef broth, which I have never used in chili before. The tomato taste is not as strong as I would like it.
fave88 says
July 23, 2015 at 8:43 amAdd a bit more chili powder
ReaMia says
August 5, 2016 at 6:32 pmMy mom asked at Wendy’s what the secret ingredient was in their chili and they said cumin. You might try that.
Jeannie says
November 11, 2014 at 7:54 pmI know the true Wendy’s recipe. There was one thing missing. A small can of chopped chilies. I use hatch from New Mexico. Any will do. The mild ones, yout can add more heat, if desired.
LARRY says
November 10, 2015 at 5:55 pmYou are wrong about the meat size, Wendy’s standard was no bigger than a dime
no smaller than a pea.
Sarah Olson says
November 10, 2015 at 6:47 pmGood to know Larry!
Mark F. says
April 28, 2016 at 11:17 amThanks for the great chili recipe ! Does anyone know what ingrediants might be in the “Hot Chili Seasoning” packet that Wendy’s offers for its chili? The Wendy’s seasoning packet adds a welcome spicy kick but only discloses “natural flavors” on the back of the packet itself.
Thanks!
Allison Wynn says
August 26, 2016 at 11:09 amCould I use dry beans? If so how much?
Sarah Olson says
August 26, 2016 at 11:30 amHi Allison. A few years back I heard it is not good to use dry kidney beans in slow cooker recipes. For some reason they don’t get rid of a toxin when cooked in the slow cooker. Here is some info on it: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/be-careful-with-red-kidney-beans-in-the-slow-cooker.aspx
Liz Jensen says
November 15, 2016 at 10:58 amI made this last weekend. My first attempt at making Chili EVER! It turned out wonderful!! My kids went back for seconds even !! LOVED IT!!! Easy to make and delicious !!!
Sarah Olson says
November 15, 2016 at 4:56 pmThat is so great to hear! Especially great when the kids like it!
Sheena Dodson says
October 25, 2018 at 3:31 pmHello!!! I am single and do not require nor need servings for 6. I also, like fresh beans over can. Any suggestions??? If so can you provide the recipe.
Sarah Olson says
October 25, 2018 at 5:01 pmHi Sheena, you could freeze it?