This Instant Pot Wendy's Copycat Chili recipe has the same flavors as the famous fast food restaurant chain. It is loaded with beans, spices, and veggies.
Settling down with a warm bowl of this Wendy's Copycat chili during the fall and winter months is a great way to enjoy Wendy's chili in the comfort of home.
Ingredients in Instant Pot Wendy's Copycat Chili Recipe
- Ground beef - lean
- Garlic cloves
- Tomato sauce
- Kidney beans
- Pinto beans
- Original Rotel with green chilies
- Onion - diced
- Green bell pepper, chopped
- Stewed tomatoes
- Celery ribs - chopped
- Chili powder
- Ground Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper
- Ground black pepper
- White vinegar
- Beef broth - or beef stock
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How to Make Wendy's Chili in the Instant Pot
It's easy to make Wendy's Chili in the Instant Pot and is ready in less than 30 minutes. Even with the quick cook time, it tastes as if the chili has been simmering in a pot all day.
Saute - Set the Instant Pot to saute and add the lean ground beef and the minced garlic to the inner liner.
Add the veggies - Add the diced onion, chopped green bell pepper, and chopped celery to the inner liner and saute until the diced onion is translucent and the beef is browned. If using lean beef you shouldn't have to drain the grease but do drain any grease at this time.
TIP: A garlic press is a helpful kitchen tool to mince garlic.
Layer the ingredients - Return the ground beef back to the inner liner and sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper on top of the beef.
Empty the cans of kidney beans and pinto beans into the pot.
Top with the Rotel, white vinegar, and tomato sauce.
Pour the beef broth (or stock) on top of the ingredients but do not stir. The liquid is necessary for the Instant Pot to come under pressure and to cook properly.
Pressure cook - Close the lid and pressure cook on HIGH/MANUAL PRESSURE for 10 minutes.
Natural release - Naturally release the pressure in the Instant Pot by allowing it to sit for 10 minutes after the cook time is up. This will allow the chili to stay flavorful and the beef tender.
Remove the lid - There shouldn't be much liquid in the pot but if there is more than you would like, return the Instant Pot to saute and stir the chili until some of the liquid evaporates. Otherwise, give the Wendy's Chili copycat a stir and serve.
Garnish - Garnish this Instant Pot Wendy's Copycat Chili recipe with scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream if desired.
How To Store Instant Pot Wendy's Copycat Chili
Chili can last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days before having to be thrown out. Instead of throwing it out it can be frozen to for a quick meal later on.
This Instant Pot Wendy's Copycat Chili is an excellent meal to make ahead of time and freeze! It holds up well and can be frozen for up to 3 months. For the best results, store in appropriate freezer-safe containers for maximum freshness.
With that being said, this Instant Pot Wendy's Copycat Chili recipe has beans and beans will change in texture when frozen. Overall, the flavor of the chili will not be affected. Keep this in mind when choosing to freeze chili with beans.
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How Do You Reheat Frozen Chili?
You can reheat frozen chili using a few different methods!
Reheat frozen chili in the Instant Pot - to reheat the frozen chili in the Instant Pot it will need to be frozen in a shape that can easily fit inside the inner liner. Add ½ cup of water to the inner liner, close the lid and pressure cook for 10 minutes and allow the pot to naturally release pressure for a few minutes before removing the lid.
Reheat chili on the stove - Add the frozen chili to a pot and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently. If the chili is too thick, add a few tablespoons of water to the pot to thin the chili out.
Slow Cooker - It's not a good idea to reheat frozen chili because of the time it would take to reheat the chili in the slow cooker. The potential bacterial growth that slow cooking the frozen chili could produce is not worth the risk.
Reheat frozen chili in the microwave - to reheat the frozen chili in the microwave you will first need to thaw the chili. Once it is thawed out it can be added to a microwave-safe bowl and heated in increments of a few minutes at a time making sure to stir occasionally.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Wendy's Copycat Chili
This Instant Pot Wendy's Copycat Chili recipe has the same flavors as the famous fast food restaurant chain. It is loaded with beans, spices, and veggies.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 15 ounces kidney beans, undrained
- 15 ounces pinto beans, undrained
- 10 ounces Rotel original with green chilies
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 15 ounces stewed tomatoes
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 cup beef broth, low sodium
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute and add the lean ground beef and the minced garlic to the inner liner.
- Add the diced onion, chopped green bell pepper, and chopped celery to the inner liner and saute until the diced onion is translucent and the beef is browned.
- Drain grease if necessary. Return the ground beef back to the inner liner and sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper on top of the beef.
- Empty the cans of kidney beans and pinto beans into the pot.
- Top with the Rotel, white vinegar, and tomato sauce.
- Pour the beef broth (or stock) on top of the ingredients but do not stir.
- Close the lid and pressure cook on HIGH/MANUAL PRESSURE for 10 minutes.
- Naturally release the pressure in the Instant Pot by allowing it to sit for 10 minutes after the cook time is up.
- Stir the chili and serve.
- Garnish with scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream if desired.
Notes
If there is too much liquid in the pot after pressure cooking, return the Instant Pot to saute and cook off some of the liquid. Stir while doing this.
If using lean ground beef, you may not need to drain the grease.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1 bowlAmount Per Serving: Calories: 439Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 1474mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 13gSugar: 9gProtein: 34g
Nutrition calculation is a rough estimate and can vary depending on the cooking technique and the exact ingredients used. For informational purposes only.
Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
