Description
Wendy’s chili recipe brings hearty comfort straight from classic American kitchens, delivering robust flavors that simmer with rich, meaty goodness. Homemade comfort awaits when you craft this beloved restaurant favorite with simple ingredients and authentic southwestern charm.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) ground beef
Vegetables:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
Beans and Tomatoes:
- 2 cans kidney beans, drained
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 can diced tomatoes
Seasonings:
- 1 package chili seasoning mix
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) water
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-high temperature and thoroughly brown the ground beef, breaking it into small crumbles until no pink remains.
- Incorporate finely chopped onions and green peppers into the browned meat, sautéing until vegetables become translucent and tender.
- Pour in kidney beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and sprinkle chili seasoning mix, then add water to create a rich, hearty base.
- Elevate the mixture to a vigorous boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, allowing the chili to gently simmer and develop deep flavors for approximately 2 hours.
- Stir occasionally during simmering to prevent sticking and ensure even heat distribution.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed to enhance overall flavor profile.
- Ladle the piping hot chili into serving bowls and garnish with preferred toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, or chopped green onions.
Notes
- Drain excess fat from ground beef thoroughly to prevent greasy chili and achieve a cleaner, healthier dish.
- Let the chili simmer longer than 2 hours for deeper, richer flavor development and more tender meat texture.
- Use lean ground beef (90/10 or 93/7) to reduce fat content while maintaining rich meaty taste and protein quality.
- Consider adding a small splash of apple cider vinegar at the end of cooking to brighten flavors and add subtle tangy complexity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 363 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg