Copycat Wendy’s Chili

My wife and I were on our way to Gatlinburg, TN, tootin’ along down the interstate, when lunch time crept up on us. A glance at the GPS showed that our choices were pretty much fast food or nothing. A hankerin’ for a Wendy’s burger came over me, so into Wendy’s we went. My wife got the chili. And it was good, which of course meant that I instantly started searching for a copycat version of Wendy’s chili. And here it is. A little thicker than the real deal served at Wendy’s, but definitely a great copycat of the fast food favorite.

Copycat Wendy's Chili

This copycat Wendy’s chili is about as easy as you can get to make, yet it is quite tasty and has great texture. It’s not hot, but it can be by just adding cayenne or substituting hot chili powder for the mild. You can also substitute cubed chuck for the ground beef for a more traditional chili. Cincinnati chili lovers need only add a bit of cinnamon. And yes, if you like your chili with pasta, you can serve it over pasta.

I like to use my good ole trusty Dutch oven to make this chili and pretty much darned near anything like it on my stovetop. It’s nice and big and sturdy. That extra weight helps it maintain and distribute heat perfectly. As an added bonus, it’s actually pretty easy to clean up too!

Also try my copycat of Cin Chili, the best chili mix ever.

Copycat Wendy's Chili
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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Wendy’s Chili

Here it is. A little thicker than the real deal served at Wendy’s, but definitely a great copycat of the fast food favorite.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword chili, copycat
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 483kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Brown ground beef in a large pot. Drain.
  • Add the water. Bring to a boil, then drain completely to remove more fat.
  • Add remaining ingredients.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 3 hours, stirring often.

Nutrition

Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 438mg | Potassium: 1104mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1049IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 119mg | Iron: 7mg

Nutritional values are approximate.