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wendy's chili recipe

Best Homemade Wendy's Chili Recipe

This copycat Wendy's-style chili features a unique blending technique and cocoa powder for a rich, velvety texture that rivals the original fast-food favorite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1.5 pounds ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 can onion soup
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 0.5 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
  • 2 cans kidney beans undrained
  • 6 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 15 teaspoons tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • 6 cups V8 vegetable juice

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Blender

Method
 

  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot with vegetable oil over medium heat.
  2. In a blender, combine half of the cooked beef with one can of onion soup. Blend until smooth to form a paste.
  3. Return the blended mixture to the pot with the remaining beef.
  4. Add chili powder, ground cumin, pepper, cocoa powder, undrained kidney beans, tomato paste, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and V8 vegetable juice to the pot. Stir well to combine.
  5. Simmer on low heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens and flavors meld. For best results, simmer for 1-2 hours.

Notes

Simmer the chili as long as possible for optimal flavor development and a richer texture.