Wendy’s hearty Chili is one of the most delicious foods you can enjoy on cold rainy days. This hot and comforting dish is usually served with finger foods, side dishes, hamburgers, and sandwiches. Chili comes from Mexican cuisine and is known to be a healthy and very flavorful dish. Today we’ll unveil the true Wendy’s Chili recipe for those who want to make it at home from scratch.  

The best part about homemade Chili is that you can always omit the ingredients you don’t like and add the spices you prefer most. Follow our step-by-step recipe guide to get the exact taste of Wendy’s Chili. 

What’s the Secret to Wendy’s Chili?

The most essential ingredients in Chili are beef and beans. Since Wendy’s never uses frozen meat for their dishes, the end taste is more than satisfying. Moreover, Wendy’s uses the meat from hamburger patties, that’s why it’s kind of caramelized and the flavors are well-balanced. 

However, other ingredients and techniques are also important in the preparation of Chili. So, let’s dive into the details and see how you can make Wendy’s Chili at home from scratch.  

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef: use low-fat beef. You can replace it with ground turkey if you are looking for a low-fat and healthier substitute. 

1 Onion: for this recipe you need chopped onion. If you like the flavor of onion, you can cook it separately from the beef to maintain its flavor. You can also use it as a topping when serving. 

2 packages of chili seasoning: chili seasoning is a spicy seasoning and it’s one of the core “ingredients” in Chili. There is a wide range of chili seasonings in stores, so make sure you have it in hand. However, you can make it at home with chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground oregano, salt, and pepper. If you like spicier Chili, it’s a good idea to add a pinch of cayenne pepper. 

Beans: Wendy’s usually uses two varieties of beans in their Chili recipe: kidney and white pinto. While kidney is sweeter, white pinto beans have an earthy flavor and bring a creamier texture to the dish. That’s why the combination of these two types of beans makes an excellent match with low-fat meat and the rest of the ingredients. Use 1 can of kidney beans and 1 can of pinto beans.

1 can of diced tomatoes with green chili: it’s better to opt for a bit spicy one. In this case, diced tomatoes with green chili are the best option to use. 

3 cans of stewed tomatoes: stewed tomatoes add a rich flavor to the dish. You can use fresh tomatoes instead, but canned stewed tomatoes are quick and easy, especially when you need to use almost 14 ounces of tomatoes.  

1 can of tomato sauce: tomato products are the base of chili. Use plain tomato sauce. Many people think they can use spaghetti sauce or tomato juice instead, but it’s not a good idea for Chili recipes. 

1 green bell pepper: green bell pepper brings some crispiness and freshness. 

1 cup of water

1 tablespoon of white vinegar

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 stalks celery

Salt and pepper to taste

Chili toppings: at the end, you can use shredded cheese, avocados, tortilla chips, sour cream, fresh cherry tomatoes, or crispy bacon as toppings for your Chili. 

Conclusion

As you see, it’s not a big deal to make Chili at home and everyone can easily cook it.  This is the easiest recipe for Wendy’s Chili. Give it a try and share your opinion.