How does Wendy's make their chili?

The Wendy's Chili recipe ingredients are simple at their core, but at Wendy's it's all about blending our signature beef with the perfect mix of hearty vegetables, chili beans and savory spices . The result is a taste that's both satisfying and sentimental, and it's the perfect comfort food anytime of the year.

What makes Wendy's chili taste so good?

Wendy's chili is made with a blend of beef and spices that create its unique flavor. The beef is slow-cooked and blended with a mix of chili spices, including chili pepper, cumin, garlic, and onion.

Does Wendy's put sugar in their chili?

Chili Concentrate: Chili Sauce (Water, Tomato Juice, Tomatoes, Calcium Chloride, Seasoning (Sugar, Salt, Corn Starch, Dried Chilies, Spices, Flavor Enhancer [Dextrose, Salt, Yeast Extract, Silicon Dioxide, Modified Corn Starch] , Citric Acid, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Xanthan gum), Beans (Pink Beans, Red ...

Why is Wendy's chili different?

The meat in Wendy's chili starts as something else The meat that's used for Wendy's chili might never have been frozen, but it wasn't browned specifically for a batch of chili. It's actually leftover meat — but that's even more reason to love it.

Does Wendy's sell their chili in a can?

We Should. We Could. We Canned . Enjoy the classic taste of Wendy's ® famous chili from the comfort of your own home.

What is the sand in Wendy's chili?

One key ingredient to Wendy's chili is an anti-caking agent called silicon dioxide . Street name: sand or glass powder.

Is Wendy's chili made with leftover burgers?

Yes, the meat in Wendys chili is made leftover from unsed burgers that are past the hold hold time . The chili meat is good for seven days after, usually is used within the next day.

What adds the most flavor to chili?

Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight. Warming spice blends, like Garam Masala, Ras el Hanout or Baharat are another simple and delicious way to add layered flavors to this simple one-pot meal.

Does beef broth make chili taste better?

Beef Broth: Provides liquid and enhances the beefy flavor of the chili . Crushed Tomatoes and Tomato Paste: Adds a rich tomato flavor and contributes to the chili's thick texture. Molasses: Offers a touch of sweetness to balance the heat and spices.

How unhealthy is Wendy's chilli?

According to the Wendy's website, a large chili contains 1,270 milligrams of sodium . This is approximately 55 percent of the recommended daily sodium allowance for adults, which is under 2,300 milligrams. Furthermore, the chili has 15 grams of total fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, and 31 grams of total carbs.

Is Wendy's chili made fresh everyday?

Made fresh every day We prep from scratch every day—slicing our tomatoes by hand, preparing our house-made chili and cooking our bacon to ensure quality and freshness in every order.

Does Wendy's use real beef in their chili?

Dave Thomas didn't go into the restaurant business dying to have chili on the menu, it just sort of happened. We all know that Wendy's prides itself on using fresh, never frozen beef — the company uses that point against McDonald's and Burger King in ads again and again.

What does Wendy's use as fillers in their meat?

Our signature square hamburger patties have no fillers or additives because we know the beef is what matters when it comes to making the best hamburger in the game.

Bush's Chili Magic Campfire Style chili starter brings tender pinto beans together with smoky chipotle and green bell peppers for quick, unforgettable chili any night of the week.

Copycat Wendy's Chili Recipe (2024)

The Magical Slow Cooker » Recipes » Chili » Copycat Wendy’s Chili Recipe

by Sarah Olson on April 1, 2023 | Updated November 3, 2023 49 Comments

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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. Everything from the beans and veggies to the spices is there, making this one of the best copycat recipes out there.

I have several more copycat recipes too. You should also check out my Copycat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole, Slow Cooker Cafe Rio Sweet Pork, and Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Spaghetti (Olive Garden Chicken Scampi Copycat).

What makes copycat Wendy’s Chili so good?

There’s something about Wendy’s chili that we can all agree is simply irresistibly delicious. All the spices, chunks of bell peppers, green chilies, and chunks of their hamburger patties make this hearty chili a worthwhile purchase every time.

When you’re looking to have this favorite chili on demand, use this easy chili recipe to have Wendy’s chili any day and time. (Yes, even for breakfast.) It’s so good, you’ll want to make a double batch.

Recipe Ingredients

Ground Beef: You’ll notice that Wendy’s chili has actual chunks of their hamburger patties, but for this Wendy’s copycat chili recipe, you’ll use fresh ground beef.
Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes and tomato paste are used to create part of the flavorful base and hearty texture.
Beans: A host of beans are needed to make this a classic copycat of Wendy’s chili recipe. One can each of pinto beans and red kidney beans are drained and rinsed.
Vegetables: Fire roasted green chiles and diced celery, white onion, and chopped green bell pepper encompass both the look and flavor of Wendy’s chili.
Seasonings: Minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, salt, and black pepper seal the deal on this easy chili recipe.

Step-by-Step Directions

Step One – Place the fresh ground beef into a nonstick skillet.

Step Two – Cook beef over medium high heat until brown and no longer pink.

Step Three – Drain any excess fat and transfer the cooked ground beef to a 6 quart slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients.

Step Four – Stir, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Serve and enjoy!

How to serve

Imagine all the fixings provided by Wendy’s. They usually serve the chili with saltine crackers, cheese, and hot sauce.
Since you’d be serving this delicious chili at home, you can also add your favorite toppings such as additional shredded cheese, diced onion, sour cream, cooked bacon, and diced green onions.
You can also serve this copycat Wendy’s chili on top of hot dogs to make yummy chili dogs or as a topping for nachos.

Recipe FAQs and Variations

Do I have to brown the ground beef first?

This can be made without browning the meat first. You will also have to skim out the fat after the cooking time is up. You can also use ground turkey.

How do I store the leftover chili?

Here are many more Slow Cooker Chili Recipes:

Slow Cooker V8 Chili
Slow Cooker Cincinnati 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

5 from 9 votes

The best fast food chili around can now be made right at home in your slow cooker.

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 414kcal

Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment Needed:

▢
Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger-oval

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 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!

How to Video:

Sarah’s Notes:

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.
This can be made without browning the meat first. You will also have to skim out the fat after the cooking time is up. You can also use ground turkey.

Nutrition Information:

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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