Wendy's Chili (Copycat)

I'm a Wendy's chili super fan. So to get it just right, I even spoke to a clerk at the fast food place for tips.

By
Myo Quinn
Myo Quinn
Myo Quinn
Myo's recipes, writing, and food styling can be found on King Arthur Baking, Food Network, Delish, Food52, and more. She collaborated on the cookbook Delish Vegan Dinners and trained at Gramercy Tavern and Untitled at the Whitney Museum.
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Updated February 07, 2025
Myo Quinn
Bowl of copycat Wendy's chili at a table setting with a bowl of saltines on a brown and white kitchen towel, a bottle of tabasco, a drink, and a white table napkin

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

I love Wendy's chili. I grew up eating it with my Dad after school—we've probably had hundreds of bowls. Bright and just spicy enough, it's delicious and comforting. To develop this recipe, I revisited my food memories and a Wendy's to speak to someone about the chili. It was a powerful trip down memory lane and I loved every moment.

This recipe tastes and looks like how Wendy’s chili should: a three-bean soup meets a hamburger tortilla soup. I sent my dad a photo of the original chili and the copycat side-by-side and asked him to guess which was which—he guessed wrong!

I can't wait to see him in person so that he can taste my version. I'd serve it to him the way Wendy's chili should be served: with baked potatoes, sour cream, a dash of Tabasco, and Saltines. And of course, a Diet Coke.

Two bowls of Wendy's chili

Simply Recipes / Jen Causey

The 3 Keys to the Best Homemade Wendy's Chili

1. Use the right beans:: Wendy's chili is unique in that it's more soup-like than other chili recipes, very bright tasting, and bean-forward. I chatted with a clerk at my local Wendy's for a while and learned that they get bags of a three-bean chili concentrate, to which they add a lot of water.

For this recipe, the key is to use three types of beans and a lot of liquid too. Most three-bean medleys in stores include black beans and/or green beans, which Wendy's chili does not have. The best combination is white beans (like Great Northern or cannellini), pintos, and predominantly dark red kidney beans.

2. Use the right cans of tomatoes: Unless you prefer low or no-sodium products for health reasons, Ro-Tel (the MVP of this recipe) and sodium-added tomato sauce and diced tomatoes are the keys to the best homemade Wendy's chili. One small can of Ro-Tel yields just enough green chili flavor and bright spice. I find that I don't need to add much salt to the soup.

3. Keep the ground beef in larger chunks: About 1 1/4 pounds of meat strikes the right meat-to-bean ratio. As the meat cooks, try not to break it up into small pieces—leave some in larger chunks. I'm convinced that Wendy's breaks up old patties to add to their chili.

Bowl of copycat Wendy's chili at a table setting with a bowl of saltines on a brown and white kitchen towel, a bottle of tabasco, a drink, and a white table napkin

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

Comforting Bean Soups

Wendy's Chili (Copycat)

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 75 mins
Total Time 85 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings

This recipe was developed by Catherine Jessee.

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola

  • 1 1/4 pounds ground beef (80/20) 

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)

  • 2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

  • 1 medium jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • 6 cups water

  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, not drained

  • 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilis, such as Ro-Tel, not drained

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • Crumbled saltines and hot sauce, such as Tabasco, for serving

Method

  1. Brown the ground beef:

    Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and salt, and cook, undisturbed, until the underside is deeply brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

    Use a wooden spoon to break the beef into smaller pieces (no smaller than 1/2-inch crumbles, leaving some larger), and cook, stirring occasionally until evenly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

    Transfer the beef to a colander set over a bowl to drain the fat; return the meat to the pot. Discard the fat.

    Browning ground beef in a pot for copycat Wendy's chili recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
    Browned beef broken into smaller pieces using a spoon (in a pot) for copycat Wendy's chili recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
  2. Stir in the vegetables and beans:

    Add the onions, celery, and jalapeño, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

    Stir in the ground cumin and chili powder until darkened and fragrant, about 30 seconds.

    Add the water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with green chilis, and beans, and bring to a boil.

    Then, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and the flavors meld, about 45 minutes.

    Ground beef and vegetables sauteed the pot for copycat Wendy's chili recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
    Beans and the liquid ingredients added to the pot (some of the ingredients slightly lifted using a wooden spoon) for copycat Wendy's chili recipe

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
    Wooden spoon stirring copycat Wendy's chili in a pot

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
  3. Add sugar and serve:

    Stir in the sugar and remove the pot from the heat. Serve warm with crumbled saltines and a dash of hot sauce.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    Bowl of copycat Wendy's chili

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
450 Calories
18g Fat
42g Carbs
33g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 450
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 63mg 21%
Sodium 1126mg 49%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 10g 37%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 33g
Vitamin C 39mg 196%
Calcium 189mg 15%
Iron 7mg 38%
Potassium 1284mg 27%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.