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★ Why You'll Love this Recipe ★
A big pot of chili is perfect food for the cooler months. It's a great dinner or lunch.
Our family loves to make a big pot on weekends. It's a favorite meal for football Sundays. You can make a big pot, put on the game, and everyone can help themselves as they get hungry.
Tastes like Wendy's Chili
This recipe is inspired by Wendy's chili. I like the flavor and the thick yet soupy broth. I like how they give you a packet of "hot chili sauce" to add.
What sets Wendy's chili apart is the use of celery and bell peppers. These two ingredients add a layer of richness of flavor (and nutrition!) to your chili. Win-win!
Make it a Meal
Make this chili into a full meal by pairing it up with healthy salad and serve it with a side or over top of Mexican corn casserole — SO GOOD!
★ Ingredients You'll Need ★
This may look like a lot of ingredients. And it is! Because really delicious chili requires lots of layers of flavors.
The good news is, the cooking process is very simple o once you gather your ingredients and do a little chopping, it's just 2 steps from there to cook the chili.
Here's everything you'll need:
- Ground beef or turkey. I like to use half and half but you can go all ground beef or all ground turkey if you'd like.
- Onion. White or yellow onions add the most flavor, but red works too—especially raw as a topping. Totally your call!
- Celery. Celery is a common soup ingredient, but it's often left out of chili—except at Wendy’s! It’s one of the secrets behind their unique chili flavor.
- Green bell pepper. Bell pepper is a key ingredient in Wendy’s chili that many skip. It adds freshness and cuts through the meat for a less greasy taste. Any color works, but red, yellow, and orange are sweeter.
- Diced tomatoes. Just a can of diced tomatoes will do.
- Condensed tomato soup. I use tomato soup instead of sauce or puree—it’s already seasoned and sweetened, so no extra sugar needed to balance the acidity.
- Dark red kidney beans. These are for texture! Not all chili is made with beans, but I prefer my chili with beans. Leave them out if you do not.
- Chili beans. These are a softer texture and come packaged with chili spices. You can leave these out but I recommend including them for heartiness and maximum flavor.
- Chili powder. The signature spice of this hearty soup. You can adjust the amount to your own liking.
- Paprika. This is a subtle pepper which compliments the bell pepper and adds a touch of smokiness to your chili.
- Garlic powder. I like the taste and texture of garlic in powder form but you can use any kind of garlic — minced, paste, or fresh. Just sauté it with the onions and celery if using raw garlic so it's not too much bite.
- Cheddar cheese. A wonderful garnish that tastes as good as it looks.
- Red onion. This sweet and mild onion makes a nice topping to add crunch and spice. The color also looks really nice!
- Frank's hot sauce. If you love heat, add some to taste!
- White vinegar. This gets added right before serving to really add zing!
- Salt and pepper. Add to taste if desired. For even more flavor, try sea salt.
The Secret Ingredient for the Best Chili
This "secret sauce" is actually just white vinegar! Vinegar, when added right before serving, brightens and enhances all the flavors, really elevating your chili and making each bite "pop" with flavor!
If you look at the ingredients of Wendy's hot chili sauce pack, it's just vinegar and some paprika, which we are adding right into the chili.
★ Tips & FAQs ★
The key is using similar ingredients to Wendy’s original recipe—like ground beef, canned beans, diced tomatoes, celery, green bell pepper, and a mix of spices including chili powder and cumin. Letting it simmer for at least an hour also helps blend the flavors just like the restaurant version.
Yes! For the slow cooker, brown the beef and sauté the veggies first, then add everything to the crockpot and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours. In the Instant Pot, use the sauté function for the beef and veggies, then cook on high pressure for 15 minutes with a natural release.
This chili freezes well. Let it cool completely, then portion it into airtight containers or freezer bags. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
★ More Chili Recipes ★
Love soup? Browse all my easy soup recipes!
Want more dinner ideas? View all my easy dinner recipes here. Be sure to Pin your favorites for later.
Copycat Wendy's Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey or 1lb of each
- 1 onion diced
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped (optional)
- 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes
- 10.75 oz can condensed tomato soup
- 15.5 oz can dark red kidney beans drained
- 15 oz chili beans not drained
Spices
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
Toppings
- shredded cheddar cheese to taste
- chopped red onion to taste
- Frank's hot sauce to taste
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 tablespoon per bowl
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Brown turkey and/or beef in a dutch oven with diced onion, celery and green pepper over medium heat. Cook and stir for about 6-10 minutes or until onions are translucent.
- Add tomatoes, beans, and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer. Cover and simmer on low for a 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
- Spoon into bowls and stir in vinegar right before serving. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with shredded cheddar cheese and diced raw onions as desired.
Video
Notes
- Do not drain chili beans.
- Slowly cook and stir celery and onions so that they do not brown.
Jude Smith says
Why would you put Vinegar in your Chili? wouldn't that taste sour?
Angela G. says
The vinegar is a personal presence. It adds a brightness to the chili that enhances the flavor. You can try it with and without to see what you prefer.