Copycat Wick Fowler's 2-Alarm Chili Recipe

If you're a fan of chili and a little bit of spice, then Wick Fowler's 2-alarm chili is right up your alley. According to Southern Living, Wick Fowler chili goes back decades and was actually a boxed kit. It included several spices to make the flavorful dish, while providing customers with the perfect Texas-style chili. According to the outlet, many people also add beans to the recipe, though it's technically considered breaking a rule. In our case, we opted to play by the rules, leaving out the beans and just adding ground beef.

Kristen Carli, owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness in Scottsdale, Arizona, is the brains behind this delicious copycat dish that is sure to take your chili game to a new level. "This is a classic chili without any of the add-ins: just beef and tomato chili flavor. No beans, etc," Carli shares. "This is a great chili for those that do not like beans!" Carli also commented on the spice-level. "This is very chili forward, but medium spiced. If you want a real kick, be sure to add some cayenne pepper," she says. 

Keep scrolling to find out how to make this fantastic copycat dish that tastes exactly like the real thing. Trust us; you won't be disappointed!

As with any recipe you make, the first step is to get all of the ingredients needed to whip it together. The bulk of the dish is ground beef, which makes the chili incredibly filling. It's no surprise that the flavorful recipe also has a ton of powders and spices, including onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, and ground cumin. Hopefully, you have a few of these items in your cupboard already.

Last but not least, you need water, tomato sauce, and masa — which is a type of flour used in plenty of Mexican dishes.

First, take out a large pot and put it over the burner. Turn the heat to medium and then toss in all of the ground beef. As the beef cooks, use a wooden spoon to break it up as you would with any other recipe. The ground beef will cook better if you break it up, so be sure to do it well as this also ensures the pieces cook evenly.

Cook the beef until it's no longer pink in the middle. This will take about 10 minutes or so. 

Once the ground beef has cooked all the way through, it's time to add a few more items. Toss in all of your spices, including the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, and ground cumin. Most of these items will add a little kick to the chili, pleasing anyone who loves a spicy dish. And we're guessing that if you're making this recipe, you can surely handle the heat. 

Keep stirring all the spices with the ground beef, so each piece gets coated. This will give the chili an incredible flavor, just like the real Wick Fowler's 2 alarm recipe. Now, onto the next step! 

Next, add the tomato sauce and the water, which will serve as the liquid in the chili. As with every ingredient you have added so far, stir everything together so that it's well-combined. Allow the chili to simmer for a little bit, so all of the flavors come together. Remember that the simmer step is very important. It will take about 15 minutes, so you can either set your timer or just keep an eye on it.

Last but not least, add the masa into the chili. Once again, stir to combine. That's it! Now the chili can be enjoyed. 

Once you've added the masa, the chili is officially ready! Wasn't that easy? You can go ahead and take the pot off the heat because the chili is ready to be served. You may use bowls or serve however you choose. You can top with anything you usually use in chili, but we personally love Fritos and avocado. As for Carli? "I would serve this with sour cream and shredded cheese on top," she says. "You could also serve this on top of a baked potato YUM!" 

Luckily, the leftovers freeze well or you can stick them in the fridge for up to four days. Enjoy!