Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe
54 Comments Apr 01, 2023
Updated Jun 18, 2025
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If you love the taste of Wendy’s chili, you can now recreate this masterpiece in the comfort of your own kitchen with this Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe.
Recipe Highlights
- There’s something about Wendy’s chili that we can all agree is simply irresistibly delicious!
- I’ve tested this one over and over—it’s the closest match you’ll find
- Easy slow cooker version of a fast-food favorite
- Makes a big batch, which is economical
- Made from scratch with no ingredients that can’t be pronounced
Key Ingredients
Gather these easy ingredients to get started!
- Ground beef – Hearty and filling and lots of it
- Diced tomatoes & tomato sauce – Build the rich savory base
- Pinto & kidney beans – Classic combo for texture and protein
- Green chiles, onion, celery & bell pepper – just what the original has in it
- Chili powder & garlic – And just the right amount!
- Apple cider vinegar – A secret ingredient to balance all the flavors.
How to Make Crockpot Wendy’s Chili
- Brown the beef and toss it into the slow cooker.
- Add in all the remaining ingredients and give it a good stir.
- Let it simmer low and slow until everything comes together.
- Grab a bowl and enjoy the hearty goodness!
Cook’s Tips & Variations
Brown the Beef: Don’t be tempted to put the ground beef in the slow cooker without browning it first. It will turn out a sandy texture.
Change the Heat: To add heat use a poblano pepper instead of bell pepper.
Meat Swap: Ground turkey can be used instead of ground beef but the flavor won’t be as decadent.
Stovetop & Instant Pot Directions
Stovetop Instructions:
Brown the ground beef in a large pot or Dutch oven, then drain the excess fat. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Let it cook for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors meld.
Instant Pot Instructions:
Use the sauté method to brown the ground beef, draining off any grease. Add the rest of the ingredients and give everything a good stir. Secure on the lid and cook on Manual/High Pressure for 15 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before opening the valve.
Featured Comment
“Really enjoyed this chili recipe tonight for dinner! Nice and saucy, just the way I like my chili! Very easy to put together. Nice to come home from running some errands and dinner is ready!“
– Kelly
Wendy’s Chili Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium sized onion, diced
- 2 celery ribs, 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, (regular works fine too)
- sour Cream and/or 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!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
My Serving Suggestions
Here are my classic ways to serve and some great ideas to serve leftovers so the chili doesn’t get boring.
- Picture all the classic toppings Wendy’s serves with their chili: cheese, diced onions, saltine crackers, cheese, and a splash of hot sauce.
- Add a touch of sour cream for even more flavor.
- Serve over rice or slow cooker baked potatoes to stretch the recipe out and feed more people.
- For leftovers, you don’t have to serve in a bowl! – Spoon it over hot dogs for irresistible chili dogs, or create loaded nachos or hearty chili cheese burritos. The possibilities are endless!
More Slow Cooker Chili Recipes
If you’re looking for chili with a twist, White Chicken Chili offers a creamy, mild option, while V8 Chili brings bold tomato flavor.
Venison Chili is perfect when you want something hearty and rich with a wild game spin.
For meatless meals, Crockpot Vegetarian Chili delivers all the flavor without the meat, and you can never go wrong with a classic Crockpot Chili on a chilly day.
Really enjoyed this chili recipe tonight for dinner! Nice and saucy, just the way I like my chili! Very easy to put together. Nice to come home from running some errands and dinner is ready!
Made this for our weekly Sunday night dinner, and it was awesome! I have another slow-cooker chili recipe I’ve used for a few years, but it always felt as if it was missing something. Figured I’d try a new recipe, and my family and I loved it! Perfect blend of ingredients. I did add an extra pound of ground beef (to make 3 lbs.) and maybe a little extra garlic, but everything else was as-is. Delicious! Can’t wait to make it again in the fall.
I made the copycat recipe for Wendy’s chili tonight for my husband and I for dinner and I must say it was another fantastic meal. I halved the recipe and still had leftovers, even after we had seconds.
I cut the recipe in half because it’s just my son and me. Otherwise, I followed it exactly and it came out great! We both loved it – and enjoyed the leftovers! I had several recipes to choose from, but this one seemed right to me. Thank you for the great recipe!
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.
My daughter worked at Wendy’s while in high school
And she said the same thing
Leftover burgers were chopped up and put in it the chili
Sounds like a great idea! Those grilled burgers adding more tast to Chilli! I’ll remember this tip!
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?
Yes. The longer is simmers, the better. You may have to add liquid as it cooks.
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.