Easy Homemade Wendy's Chili

Many years ago, I found a recipe in my local paper for Wendy’s chili, provided by Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy's. The original recipe called for ¼ cup chopped celery and ¼ cup green bell pepper, which I’ve replaced with vegetable juice and celery seed to speed up preparation and avoid food waste. I’ve also changed the recipe from stove top to slow cooker, so you can enjoy a delicious, hearty meal despite the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. And it still tastes like Wendy's chili!

Ingredients:  

2 cups vegetable juice (such as V-8)

2 (15-ounce) cans reduced-sodium tomato sauce

2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained (and rinsed, if desired)

1 medium onion, chopped

¼ cup chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin powder

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

½ teaspoon fresh-ground peppercorn mix

½ teaspoon oregano flakes

½ teaspoon celery seed

½ teaspoon sugar or other sweetener (like stevia)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder

1 pound extra-lean ground beef (or ground beef substitute)

Directions:

Combine vegetable juice, tomato sauce, kidney beans, onion, chili powder, cumin powder, garlic powder, peppercorn mix, oregano flakes, celery seed, sugar/sweetener, and cayenne powder in slow cooker.

Add beef/beef substitute and cook on HIGH for about 1 hour, or until beef/beef substitute is cooked through. Using a large spoon (like a wooden spoon), break beef/beef substitute into bite-sized pieces.

Cook an additional 3-6 hours on HIGH, or an additional 5-7 hours on LOW.

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