Wendy’s Copycat Chili
Copycat Wendy’s chili with ground beef, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, four kinds of beans, broth, vegetables, and spices.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef browned and drained
- 1 can tomato sauce 29 ounces
- 1 can stewed tomatoes 29 ounces
- 1 can dark kidney beans 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 1 can light red kidney beans 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 1 can pinto beans 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 1 can small red beans 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/4 cup diced green pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin or up to 2 teaspoons for more Wendy’s flavor
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a large Dutch oven or heavy stockpot over medium-high heat, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains.
- Drain the fat completely and return beef to the pot.
- Add tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes with juice, drained beans, chicken broth, celery, green pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, and cayenne. Stir well.
- Bring chili to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to Low and simmer uncovered at least 1 hour, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes. Simmer 2 hours for thicker, deeper flavor if time allows.
- Taste and adjust salt, cumin, and cayenne before serving.
- Serve hot with shredded cheddar, sour cream, crackers, Fritos, onion, or jalapeño.
Notes
Drain and rinse the beans so the chili does not taste canned. Do not rush the simmer; one hour is good and two hours gives a thicker Wendy’s-style texture. This chili improves overnight and keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days. Freeze portions for up to 3 months and reheat with a splash of broth if thickened.
