A warm bowl of chili makes a welcome supper, especially when you want something hearty without much fuss. This Wendy’s chili combines ground beef, kidney beans, and pinto beans with tomatoes, chopped vegetables, and pantry spices.
You’ll need 15 minutes to get everything ready, then you can let it simmer on the stove or use the slow cooker. With eight servings, there’s plenty to share or save for another meal.
Tips
- Break the beef into small pieces as it browns, check that it reaches 160°F, and drain away extra fat before adding it to the chili.
- Drain both kinds of beans before they go into the pot.
- Prefer gentler heat? Use less chili powder. For a stronger cumin flavor, increase the cumin to suit your taste.
- For stovetop cooking, stir every 15 minutes. At serving time, offer shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, or tortilla chips.
Storing
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking or serving, using shallow containers so the chili cools quickly. Keep refrigerated for 3–4 days, or freeze in freezer-safe containers for 2–3 months for best quality. Thaw frozen chili in the refrigerator. Reheat leftovers to 165°F, stirring so they heat evenly.
Wendy’s Chili with Ground Beef and Two Kinds of Beans
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef fresh
- 1 quart tomato juice
- 29 oz tomato purée
- 15 oz red kidney beans drained
- 15 oz pinto beans drained
- 1 1/2 cups onion chopped; from a medium-large onion
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1/4 cup green bell pepper diced
- 1/4 cup chili powder reduce the amount for a milder batch
- 1 tsp ground cumin increase the amount for a more pronounced cumin flavor
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until browned and 160°F, breaking the meat into small crumbles along the way. Pour off the excess fat.
- Move the browned beef into a 6-quart pot or slow cooker. Add the tomato juice, tomato purée, drained kidney beans, drained pinto beans, onion, celery, green bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, sugar, and cayenne. Stir until everything is evenly mixed.
- For the stovetop method, put the lid on the pot and maintain a simmer over low to medium-low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. For the slow cooker method, cook on low for 3 to 4 hours and stir occasionally.
- Sample the chili and adjust the seasoning if needed. Ladle it into bowls while hot, with optional shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onions, or tortilla chips.
Notes
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