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These lemon pepper wings are baked until crispy and covered with a buttery lemon and pepper sauce. They need little prep and are seriously addictive!
We are a family of chicken wing lovers here.
Whether they are air fried, baked, doused in a garlic parmesan sauce, or enjoyed with a Korean twist, we love them.
Inspired by our lemon pepper chicken recipe, we transformed this sauce to work with chicken wings, too, and we can’t stop eating them!
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
- Healthier than fried wings. As these wings are baked in the oven, they are a lot healthier than frying. Don’t worry though- they still have the crispy texture you’d expect.
- Fast. You don’t need to marinate the wings in advance. All you need to do is to toss the wings with the sauce and bake them!
- Perfectly juicy. Lemon juice and butter used in the sauce help tenderize the chicken wings and make them juicy with little effort.
What I love about these lemon pepper chicken wings is how epic they are for game day or serving a crowd. They are a much more delicious option than buffalo wings, and everyone RAVES about them.
Ingredients needed
This lemon pepper wings recipe calls for very simple ingredients. Besides the wings and some seasonings, there isn’t much else that goes into it. Here is what you’ll need:
- Chicken wings. You can use whole chicken wings and separate them at their joints (to be wingettes and drumettes) or pre-cut wings. My butcher often sells me them whole and I just divide them into two portions.
- Baking powder. Fun fact. If you’ve made any of my chicken wing recipes before, you know that this is the secret ingredient I use in them all to guarantee crispy wings every single time. Don’t fret- you won’t taste anything acidic or metallic.
For the lemon pepper butter sauce:
- Lemon pepper seasoning. A pre-made blend that you can find this mix in any grocery store in the spice aisle. I sometimes make homemade lemon pepper seasoning by combining equal parts dried lemon zest, black pepper, and salt.
- Lemon juice. To enhance the flavor and consistency of the sauce. I always prefer using fresh lemon juice versus anything in a bottle.
- Butter. Melted.
- Salt. To taste.
How to make lemon pepper wings
What I love about this recipe is the fact that it’s oven baked. This makes clean up a breeze and also leaves time for me to make some sides to pair them with.
Step 1 – Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 200C/400F degrees to allow it to preheat while you prepare the sauce for the wings.
Step 2 – Prep the chicken wings. Pat dry the chicken wings using paper towels and put them in a bowl. Toss the wings with a mixture of baking powder and salt.
Step 3 – Make the lemon pepper sauce. In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients. Add lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, and salt to melted butter and mix well until fully combined.
Step 4 – Combine. Pour the sauce over the chicken wings and toss to get all the pieces covered.
Step 5 – Transfer the wings to a pan. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the chicken wings on the baking sheet in a single layer so that they are not touching each other.
Step 6- Bake. Bake on the top rack for 40-45 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Can you make these in the air fryer?
You can totally make air fryer lemon pepper chicken wings. They follow the exact same process as my air fryer chicken wings recipe. The only difference is that you cook them for an extra five minutes to compensate for the sauce and shake the air fryer basket several times.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Pat dry the wings before you start tossing them with salt and baking powder. This guarantees maximum crispiness.
- Spread the chicken wings on the baking sheet in a single layer to ensure that the wings are evenly cooked and all crispy. If I make a larger serving, I sometimes cook them in batches instead of packing them all on one or two trays.
- Don’t overcook the chicken wings. Keep a close eye on them while they cook as chicken wings dry out quickly. The best way to check when the chicken wings are fully cooked is to use a meat thermometer to check its temperature. Chicken is ready once it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
- If you are using frozen wings, thaw them in the fridge overnight and dry them thoroughly before use.
Storage instructions
To store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. They will remain fresh for up to 5 days.
To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled wings in a shallow container and store them in the freezer for up to two months.
To reheat: Reheat chicken wings in a preheated oven or air fryer for 10 minutes or until they are heated through.
More delicious chicken wing recipes to try
Frequently asked questions
These chicken wings turn out to have a wet coating of delicious and fragrant lemon pepper sauce. The slightly wet finish of the wings is due to the butter and lemon juice in the sauce.
Like any good chicken wing recipe, these are best with a fun dipping sauce. Blue cheese dressing, hot honey sauce, ranch dressing, and plenty of celery and carrots to balance everything out.
Lemon Pepper Wings
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200/400F.
- Pat dry the chicken wings with a paper towel. Place them in a large bowl, and toss them with baking powder and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, and salt.
- Add the sauce over the chicken wings and coat well.
- Line a large baking sheet with foil and place an oven-safe cooling rack on top. Transfer the wings to the top of the rack and bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Delicious
Tried this out tonight and it was so good! Quick easy recipe with ingredients already in your cabinets.
We will definitely be re-creating this recipe often.
She easy and yummy!!