Description
Wendy’s chili copycat recipe delivers hearty comfort with classic diner-style warmth. Rich beef, tender beans, and signature spices create a satisfying bowl that brings restaurant flavor straight to home kitchens.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 2 stalks celery, small diced
- 1 small sweet onion, small diced
- 1 green bell pepper, small diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
Seasonings and Additional Ingredients:
- 2.50 ounces (2 1.25 packages) chili seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 16 ounces (1 pound) dark red kidney beans, undrained
- 16 ounces (1 pound) pinto beans, undrained
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 43.5 ounces (3 14.5 ounces cans) stewed tomatoes
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel)
Instructions
- Warm the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and introduce ground beef, methodically fragmenting the meat into delicate crumbles. Cook approximately 8-10 minutes until thoroughly browned. Carefully drain excess fat to prevent greasy consistency.
- Incorporate diced celery, onion, and bell pepper into the meat. Allow vegetables to mingle and soften for 10 minutes, observing onions transforming translucent and peppers losing vibrant green hue.
- Introduce aromatic seasoning blend – chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Toast spices for 2 minutes, releasing intense flavor profiles and creating robust foundation.
- Deglaze pot with water, vigorously scraping caramelized meat particles from bottom, ensuring no flavor potential remains unexplored.
- Cascade kidney beans, pinto beans, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and Rotel into mixture. Gently disintegrate larger tomato chunks while stirring, creating harmonious texture.
- Elevate to gentle simmer, cover, and allow chili to develop complexity for approximately 60 minutes. Periodically rotate contents to prevent bottom scorching.
- Conclude preparation by introducing white vinegar moments before serving, transforming flavor profile with bright, nuanced acidity.
Notes
- Choose lean ground beef to reduce excess grease and create a cleaner, more balanced chili texture.
- Toast spices briefly before adding liquids to intensify their flavor profile and release deeper aromatic compounds.
- Allow chili to rest overnight in the refrigerator for enhanced taste development, as flavors will meld and deepen.
- Consider swapping kidney beans with black beans or adding a small amount of cocoa powder for subtle depth and richness.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting chili seasoning or adding diced jalapeños for extra spiciness.
- For gluten-free version, verify all spice blends and canned ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Freeze individual portions in airtight containers for convenient meal prep and quick weeknight dinners.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg