Do you love Wendy’s Chili? Try this copycat version filled with all the same ingredients but made at home in a big batch.
How to make Wendy’s Chili:
What to serve with Wendy’s Chili:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Diced white onions
- Saltine crackers
- OR over a baked potato!
Here are many more Slow Cooker Chili Recipes:
- Slow Cooker V8 Chili
- Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
- Slow Cooker No Bean Texas Chili
- Slow Cooker Beef Enchilada Chili
- Slow Cooker Venison Chili
- Slow Cooker Chipotle Turkey Chili
- Slow Cooker Steakhouse Chili
- Slow Cooker Poblano White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Low Carb Beef and Bacon Chili
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Slow Cooker Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe
The best fast food chili around can now be made right at home in your slow cooker.
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Servings: 6
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium sized onion diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 green bell pepper deseeded and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 30 oz. diced tomatoes – two 15-oz.cans
- 30 oz. tomato sauce two 15-oz. cans
- 8 oz. green chilies two 4-oz. cans
- 15 oz. canned kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 30 oz. canned pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup dark chili powder
- Sour Cream and Shredded Cheddar for Topping optional
Instructions:
- Heat a medium sized nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and brown until no longer pink. Drain the meat to remove excess fat. Transfer the cooked ground beef to a 6 quart slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients and stir.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
- Serve hot, top with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
This can be made without browning the meat first, but will add an extra 1-2 hours to the cooking time. You may also have to skim out the fat.
To Store the chili, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To freeze, let the chili cool completely and store in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
To reheat the chili, warm single servings in the microwave, or to reheat a larger batch, reheat on the stove top over medium low heat.
Allow the frozen chili to defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
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It is true that Wendy’s chops up burgers they did not sell for their chili meat. My 16 year old son worked there this summer and revealed this (oddity) to me.
If you think of it from a business standpoint, it’s pretty smart. Utilizing good meat, instead of throwing it away. I know a lot of grocery store deli’s will utilize the chicken that would normally get thrown out to make salads, etc.
I’d worked in a grocery store deli dept and the deli saved the ends of cold cuts and cheeses and sell then in a bulk pack.
They have this delivered, pre-prepared. Then they simmer it for the day. It’s delicious, but they do not make it at the restaurant.
Yes, times have changed since I wrote this blog post.
An this be cooked on the stove instead of the crockpot?
I haven’t had Wendy’s Chili in years but do recall how much I enjoyed their chili with a side Frosty! Those fast food days are gone, but this chili recipe made up for it. It was so good! Whole Pot was polished off same day. I want to make it in my new Instant Pot but not sure how to convert cooking times.
Can I use my instant pot for this recipe? I made it in my slow cooker (loved it!) but got an IP for Christmas and love using it. I am new to the IP community so not sure how to convert your recipe. Family asking fir this chili again.
LOOK UP A N IP CHILI RECIPE ON THE WEB AND USE THAT AS A GUIDE
Can you cook this 4 hrs on high?
Yes! Chili does great for 4 hours on high.
I use vegetable juice ( V8 or store brand fir my liquid and I use rotel ( chopped, canned tomatoes with green chili’s) and a package of fry taco seasoning instead of chili’s. Thus makes hearty chili and is not to spicy.
Hi I can’t wait to try this! What is the approximate serving size (1 or 1.5 cups?) and how many calories in a serving? Thanks!
Hello!!! 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.
Hi Sheena, you could freeze it?
I 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 !!!
That is so great to hear! Especially great when the kids like it!
Could I use dry beans? If so how much?
Hi 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: https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/be-careful-with-red-kidney-beans-in-the-slow-cooker/
Thanks 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!
You are wrong about the meat size, Wendy’s standard was no bigger than a dime
no smaller than a pea.
Good to know Larry!