This Wendy’s chili recipe is an easy copycat that brings that rich, hearty flavor right to your kitchen. Made with simple ingredients, it’s loaded with beef, beans, and savory spices—perfect for a comforting, budget-friendly meal any night of the week.
We love a good chili recipe. Now that the weather is getting colder, we are always looking for different soup recipes and chili recipes. This Wendy’s Copycat chili recipe just hit the spot when we were craving chili and has become my go-to chili recipe.
I just made this. I added one onion though and cooked In crockpot . The best chili I have ever made. We also added a little sour cream..crackers..and cheese in our bowls. I used Ritz crackers and a sharp cheddar cheese. Best chili I have ever made!!?
-Cheryl
I really like to find restaurant style food and try and recreate it with better and simpler ingredients. This one wasn’t very hard to recreate as you really can’t go wrong when making chili.
Make sure to check out Slow Cooker Cincinnati Chili Recipe.
When life is busy, one-pot dinners make getting a homemade meal on the table so much easier.
Ingredients
- Ground Beef – Brown and drain your ground beef. I usually try and use a lower fat content for ground beef. You can even use ground turkey and mix the two.
- Pinto Beans – You can also use chili beans or ranch style beans. We do not drain.
- Kidney Beans – Light or dark kidney beans. We do not drain these beans. We often will add in extra beans for more flavor.
- Celery – Chopped
- Green Bell Pepper – Chopped
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Tomato Sauce – Use regular tomato sauce. I have also added in some tomato juice.
- Diced Tomatoes – You can buy just a can of diced tomatoes, but I usually grab a can with diced green chiles in them.
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Salt and Black pepper
- Cheddar Cheese (for serving) – Use freshly shredded cheese
- Saltine Crackers (for serving) – Optional side
Most of these ingredients are pantry staples, making this an affordable chili recipe that feeds a crowd without stretching your grocery budget.
How to Make Wendy’s Chili Recipe
Step 1 – Brown the ground beef until no longer pink in a large pot over medium-high heat. Halfway through the cook time, add in the celery and bell pepper and cook until they are tender. Drain off any excess grease.
Step 2 – Add in the remaining chili seasoning ingredients except for the cheese and the crackers. Stir to combine.
Step 3 – Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes to combine all the flavors.
Step 4 – Serve topped with the shredded cheddar cheese with the crackers and enjoy!
What to serve with it
Chili is great by itself but here are some of our favorite sides when we have chili.
- Saltine Crackers
- Slice Cheese
- Frito’s
- Cornbread
Chili Topping Ideas
We love to serve chili when we have game day parties or just getting together with friends. This is the chili recipe I always make as it always satisfies everyone’s craving for chili.
We setup a chili bar with all of these yummy toppings. Which ones are your favorite? The options are endless and we make sure we have all kinds of variety.
- Slice Jalapeños
- Diced Onions
- Shredded Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Hot Sauce
- Tortilla Strips
- Avocado
How to Use Leftover Chili
We love having leftover chili. I intentionally will make a double batch so I can have leftover chili for lunch.
I actually think chili taste better the next day. It really gives it time for all the spices to marinate together.
Here are some of our favorite ways to eat leftover chili in a different way.
- Have you made a Frito Chili Wrap? This is one of my favorite ways to eat leftover chili. You need a tortilla, spoon a serving of chili, top with Frito’s and cheese. Wrap it up and it becomes the perfect snack or lunch.
- Top your plain bake potato with a serving of chili. Add some cheese and sour cream and it becomes another dinner idea.
- We also like getting some bread bowls and serving chili in it. The chili really mixes with the bread.
- Make a chili mac dinner. Have some pasta that you have leftover? Mix it with some chili and you now have another yummy dinner idea.
- Have chili dogs one night. My kids love this idea and makes for any easy dinner idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Just like the original Wendy’s chili, this copycat recipe uses beans for texture, flavor, and to help stretch the recipe further — making it more filling and budget-friendly.
Yes, you can make this recipe in the slow cooker. We usually make this recipe on the stove top, but you can definitely make this in your slow cooker.
Add all your ingredients to the crock pot. Just cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.
Yes, you can make this chili in the Instant Pot. It is important that you use an 8 qt to make sure that the chili is below the line.
You can turn on the sauté option and brown you ground beef, then drain. You will add remaining ingredients and stir.
Cover the instant pot and turn knob to sealing and set to the device to manual for 30 minutes. Then do a quick release to release the pressure from the Instant Pot after the cook time.
For more tips, see Instant Pot Chili.
If you prefer thicker chili, check out these tips on How to Thicken Chili.
Chili can be easily store in the refrigerator or freezer. After you chili has cooled, simply place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.
If you want to freeze your chili, place in a freezer safe container and place in the freezer. We like to freeze individual serving so it is a quick lunch for my husband and I.
Having leftover chili really saves me time and money. I know I am getting a great lunch with good ingredients and I avoid fast food.
You can also freeze the chili.
If you make this recipe, please leave us a comment or star review and let us know how you served it — we love hearing how families make it their own!
Wendy’s Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Ground Beef
- 2 cans Pinto Beans 15 oz. each, not drained
- 2 cans Kidney Beans 15 oz. each, not drained
- 3 Stalks Celery Diced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper Diced
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 cans Tomato Sauce (15 oz. each)
- 2 cans Diced Tomatoes (15 oz. each)
- ¼ cup Chili Powder
- 1 Tbsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Pepper
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese for serving
- Saltine Crackers for serving
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, brown 2 pounds ground beef over medium?high heat until it is no longer pink. Halfway through cooking, add 3 stalks diced celery and 1 green bell pepper diced and cook until they are tender with the beef. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add 2 cans pinto beans (15 oz. each, not drained) and 2 cans kidney beans (15 oz. each, not drained) directly to the pot with the cooked beef and vegetables. Pour in 2 cans tomato sauce (15 oz. each) and 2 cans diced tomatoes (15 oz. each) to the pot. Stir in 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper until everything is well combined.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes to combine all the flavors.
- Once the chili is done simmering, serve it hot topped with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese and enjoy with saltine crackers on the side if desired.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Kidney Beans – I usually tend to use light kidney beans but have also used the dark kidney beans.
- Pinto Beans – You can use chili beans instead of pinto beans.
- Cayenne Pepper – Need a little kick to your chili, mix in some cayenne pepper. We usually do a small amount so the kids will still enjoy the chili.
- Add some bacon – Everything is better with some bacon. Mix some in to make it even more of a hearty chili. I usually add in cooked bacon so it’s still crispy.
- Vegetables – Do you have some vegetables that need to be cooked? Throw them in this chili to change the texture of the chili and to make it healthier.
I was a little worried about making this. Hubby is a little picky when it comes to chili. I made half the recipe and it was wonderful. Not to spicey and hubby said it tasted just like Wendy’s. He really like their chili. I put a container in the freezer. You must try this recipe, you won’t be sorry. Always appreciate the great recipes. 2 thumbs up for the recipe.
Thank you, Karen! It means a lot that you took the time to comment with such kind words! So glad even the picky eaters enjoyed.
I’ve made this 3 times in the past 3 months. Totally addictive! Thx for sharing this recipe!
Kim- Yay! So glad to hear this. Thanks for letting me know.
Thank you for this recipe. It is now one of my family’s favorite dishes!
Thank you so much for sharing! I love hearing this!
Great chili recipe! We gobbled it up. Will definitely become part of our rotation!
Thanks for the kind words! I’m happy you loved it.
Hi, I love this copycat recipe. My husband is a Wendys chili nut and he’s also my taste tester; he said spot on!! I’m a canner so I make a huge batch and pressure can it!! The Family loves it. My Daughter stops by and says, Mom can I get a jar of chili for dinner tonight. LOL I gave her 3 quarts for an office party, she dumped in a crockpot to heat and took to work, the other nurses and doctors loved it!!!
Marla – Wahoo! You made our day! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed.
How much is a serving?
The recipe makes 12 servings so each serving is approximately 1/12 of the entire meal. Sorry it’s hard to put an exact amount on the serving size as it batch is a bit different.
I LOVE THIS THANKS
Hey Ronald – You’re so welcome! I’m so glad you loved it. Thanks for commenting.
I made this today (I did substitute green bell peppers for jalapenos) and WOW, amazing!! I’ve made quite a few wendy’s copycat and this one is by far the BEST i’ve made. Delicious! 10/10, this is the closest Wendy’s chili I’ve ever made. Thank you for the recipe!
I love hearing this Jenn! Thank you so much for sharing and for the positive review!
Holy crap! I have tried a few copycats and they have fallen short. This one is spot on! The only change I made was onion instead of celery because my husband doesn’t like celery. I made it exactly as the recipe was written. I even questioned the chili powder but I did it anyway. This is the best and will be the only recipe I ever use again. Thank you!!!!!!
Kelly – Thanks for sharing your feedback and for the positive review. I truly appreciate it!
Love Love Love this Chili recipe! By far the best and even better than Wendy’s .. I added some fresh cooked bacon as well … fantastic!!! Thank you Carrie
Lori – Wow! Thank you for such a kind compliment. You made our day!
Way too much cumin in this recipe. I just looked at this and my heartburn started acting up. Lol. I would try 1/4tsp of cumin next time. Must’ve burnt out in my younger years
I’m sorry to hear that John. Yes, reducing it next time should solve this for you. I hope you enjoyed the rest of the recipe!
How many grams would you say is one serving?
I haven’t measured out a serving yet in grams. But this recipes does make a large batch of chili and 1 serving is approximately 1/12 of the entire recipe! I hope you enjoy it!
Missing onion in your recipe. Otherwise looks yummy. I always eat Wendy’s chile with a backed potaoe.
John – Yum! We love it too on a baked potato! Perfect for leftovers.
This too has become my go-to chili recipe. I actually make a triple batch and can it so I have it on hand all year. I haven’t yet tried it but I do plan on making an over-the-top version in my smoker. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with me!
Woohoo! I love hearing this Amy! Thank you so much for sharing and for the positive review!
I use V8 for the liquid in my chili, no tomato paste!
Oh thanks for sharing – I’m sure that’s delicious!
I just made this. I added one onion though and cooked In crockpot . The best chili I have ever made. We also added a little sour cream..crackers..and cheese in our bowls. I used Ritz crackers and a sharp cheddar cheese. Best chili I have ever made!!?
Wow! Thank you so much Cheryl. That is so kind of you to say.
Have not made yet, but so looking forward to making it once we get back to Canada & will definitely let U all know how it turned out Judi
Judi – Can’t wait for you to try it! Let me know what you think.
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!! Hubby said, tastes just like Wendy’s, only BETTER!!!! Thanks so much for posting this recipe!
Yvette – Wow! Thanks for that kind comment.
Your recipe says it serves 12. What would you say is the serving size in cups?
It’s hard to put an exact size on it Heather as each batch is a bit different. I would say for this recipe that one serving is approximately 1 1/2 cups. I hope you enjoy it!
could you make this in a crockpot and if so could you provide insructions
Tysm for the recipes! Bug fan of Wendy’s chili!
Followed recipe ingredients exactly!
Browned my 90% ground beef on stove, transferred into large Crockpot, added ingredients and cooked on slow for 3 hours. Perfect. Very good. Hubby and adult son loved!
Others have said onion is in Wendy’s chili. It may taste like it is, but it’s not (you’re clever).
Served with diced red onion, cheese, sour cream and saltines!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Shanan – Thank you for much for sharing!
Have tried this recipe without diced onion and with diced sweet onions. The addition of the onion seems to make it taste just like the Wendy’s recipe.
Perfect! Thank you for sharing
I made this for a fundraiser for approximately 100 people and chili being the main course. The reviews were outstanding! I have never heard so many compliments about how good this chili was. I was told over and over again about how it tasted just like Wendy’s chili. Thank you for this recipe. It was a big part in our successful event!
I love hearing that! Thank you so much for sharing and thank you so much for the positive review!
Wendys definitely uses onion in their chili, but otherwise this is spot on! Thanks
Thanks for sharing! I think adding onion into this recipe would be delicious!
This chili recipe is hands down the best I have ever made. I receive compliments every single time! And it freezes well! So simple and so flavorful!
I’m so glad to hear this Tina! Thank you for sharing and thank you so much for the 5 star review!
For the folks worried about the amount of chili powder, if you are a chili fan, totally add all of it. I only made a half a batch (6 servings) so used 1/8 cup of chili powder, and it’s fantastic! Like, literally, I had plans for lunch today, but now I just want to stay home and eat this chili!
I also used super lean beef (so it probably has less saturated fat than the given stats), dark kidney beans, a whole green pepper, two stalks of celery and threw in a whole small onion diced up and cooked at the same time as the rest of the veggies, and it’s sooooo good!
I did drain and rinse the beans as well, but I find I’m not missing the salt that would have added. Yum! Thank you, Carrie!
Liz – Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the positive review!
Making it now…soooo good, and it’s not even finished yet ??
Woohoo! I hope you love it and thank you for sharing!
Made this only changed few things. Added chopped onion, used chopped fire roasted tomatoes, added garlic, and some tomato puree for thickness. Wonderful. My guys said better than Wendy’s.
Woohoo! I love hearing that everyone loved it. Thank you for the positive review and your alterations sound amazing!
This was very flavorful. I’m not a spicy person so hot chili is not my thing. This has a slight kick for my taste. But it’s not bad. 1/4 cup of chili powder sounded a bit much. I trustingly added it. It was delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing and the positive review!
Hi! I can’t wait to make this. I wanted to be sure that adding an entire 1/4 cup of chilli powder was correct because that seems like a lot and I don’t want to ruin it. Can someone chime in? Thank you!
Yes, that’s correct. I have made this recipe a ton of times and it adds so much flavor! I hope you enjoy it!
The recipe tasted almost exactly like Wendy’s, but for me personally it was too much chili. My heart raced all night and into the next morning. From past events I know it was the chili. So if your system is like mine I’d advise half the amount.
Even while eating it I kept wondering where the heat was coming from, being that I hadn’t added any peppers, also Wendy’s chili never gave me any spicy vibes. I will attempt this one again with less chili.
Thank you for sharing Lester. Yes, please try it with less chili and please come back and let mw know how it turns out!
Great chili recipe! Made it just like your recipe excepted added 2 tsp minced garlic in olive oil! Delicious!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Bonnie – Thank you for sharing and thank you for the positive review!
Just curious as to why you wouldn’t drain the beans?
Generally I don’t drain the beans for this recipe as it helps to thicken the chili.
Your 1/2/2025 comment says you prefer to drain the beans, but the recipe says not drained.
Do you add water or something else to make up for the lost liquid when drained? Confusing.
So sorry for the confusion Eva. I do NOT drain the beans for this recipe. I think that not draining them helps to thicken this chili. In my previous comment, I think I was confused with another recipe.
Curious if the recipe is correct for 1/4 cup of chili powder. That is so much more than any recipe I’ve searched. Just checking before I make it.
Yes it is. Yes it is a lot but it will taste amazing!
THE WENDYS COPYCAT CHILE WAS GREAT, THE KIDS LOVED IT. HAD THE GUARD THE CROCKPOT AND FIGHT OFF THE KIDS TO GET A BOWL. LOL ENDED UP MAKING ANOTHER BATCH, THIS TIME THE KIDS HELPED ME. 2ND BATCH CAME OUT GREAT AS WELL. THX FOR RECIPE
MIKE AND THE BOYS
Instead of burger, how about 2 lb of top sirloin?…Best way to pre-cook?
Yes, you can use top sirloin instead of ground beef. Brown at the beginning of the recipe to give it more flavor and then it should cook through with the remaining ingredients. I hope you enjoy it!
Better than Wendy’s! I didn’t have any celery or onions, so I used celery seeds and onion powder instead and the chili came out great. Thank you, Carrie, for a terrific recipe.
Leslie, I’m so glad you liked. Thank you for leaving a review!
I really want to try this and make a double batch? But, however, my little store only had one bell green pepper left. I was wondering if I could use a red or yellow pepper as well? ????
Yes you can switch out the bell peppers.
This the best recipe for chili I make. Love it. Thank you.
Question though as I’m tracking protein and calories…….is your nutritional panel for one serving and if so, how much is in one serving? 1 cup?
1 serving if approximately 1/6 of the entire batch. It’s hard to put an exact amount on a serving as each batch is a bit different.
Tastes just like Wendy’s Chili. It was delicious.
I’m so glad you liked it.
Very close to Wendy’s chili, but better !!!
Wondering if anyone has tried to freeze this recipe?
Julia – Yes, the leftovers of this chili freezes great. Place them in a freezer bag and it should keep for up to 3-6 months.
Love Wendy’s chili. Love that your recipe doesn’t have onions. I can’t often find any recipe that doesn’t include onions, whether appropriate for the recipes or not.
I tried this tonight. I wanted to try a Wendy’s chili dupe. My intentions were making it exactly as recipe, but I had no pinto beans so I just used extra kidney beans. Also had no celery but used celery seed. Even with my small adjustments, it was DELICIOUS! Maybe not exactly like Wendy’s but it’s sure just as good! THANK YOU for sharing!
Thanks for sharing Missy! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
It’s chili seasoning, like the ones you buy in the packs or you can make your own. Chili powder ruins it. That’s the seasoning you get in the glass container and you use a little bit in recipes. Not usually a fourth a cup. Please be specific on this.
Sara, I use chili powder in this recipe not chili seasoning. I know it sounds like a lot but I have tested this recipe many times and it tastes amazing every time.
Great recipe! I added 1/2 onion to the pot before adding the beef. I also added 1/2 tsp espresso powder for depth of flavor. Best recipe I’ve found so far for this type of chili.
Good chili recipe, not a copycat of Wendy’s. I read the ingredients of their chili and they include more ingredients. I did not use the liquid from the cans, just water and less of it.
Onion / diced and cooked with the celery and green pepper. 1 spoon of Wendy’s chili has onion in it so onion is definitely a missing ingredient that could make it closer to Wendys chili
You forgot 1 major ingredient before cooking. One medium ONION .
Yes, an onion would be amazing in this chili recipe.
Is it ok to drain the cans of beans? I don’t want to change the consistency, just looking to get rid of the extra sodium
Yes, it’s fine to drain the beans in this recipe. It will still taste amazing.
Just made this tonight ! It is awesome ! I added a whole onion diced and some tomato juice so it wasn’t so thick ..but everything else I did completely by the recipe ! Thank you , we love it !
If you make it in the crockpot do you still need to brown the hamburger first before putting everything in?
I personally do but you do not have to if you would like.
I made this recipe last night for the first time, very good and won’t be my last! I was surprised how good it really was.
Can I do this in a crockpot ?
Yes you can. Just toss it all in the crock pot and let it cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Wendy’s has always been my favorite chili. When I saw this copycat recipe for it I immediately made it. It’s so so good. I ate 2 bowls. Lol. This will forever be the only way I make chili from now on. Thank you
There on time recipes when you need them