Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings – Baked or Air Fried Recipe
These Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings are perfectly crispy and bursting with zesty lemon flavor, enhanced by a buttery, peppery sauce. You can bake or air fry the wings for a delicious appetizer or main dish that’s simple to make and sure to impress.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Wings
- 2 pounds chicken wings (flat wingettes and drumettes)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Lemon Pepper Sauce
- 4 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. For extra crispiness, place a wire cooling rack on the baking sheet.
- Dry the wings: Pat the chicken wings dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure they crisp up nicely when cooked.
- Coat wings: In a large bowl, toss the wings with baking powder, salt, and pepper until they are evenly coated.
- Bake the wings: Arrange the coated wings on the wire rack and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, flipping them halfway through at about 25 minutes to cook evenly and get crispy on all sides.
- Prepare the sauce: While the wings bake, mix melted butter, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, black pepper, honey, and garlic powder in a small bowl until well combined.
- Toss wings in sauce: Once baked fully, transfer the hot wings to a large bowl and pour the lemon pepper sauce over them. Toss well to coat every wing evenly with the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- Using a wire rack helps air circulate around the wings, making them crispier.
- Patting wings dry before coating is key for a crispy skin.
- You can also air fry these wings at 400°F for about 25 minutes, shaking or flipping halfway.
- For a spicier version, add cayenne pepper or chili flakes to the seasoning mix.
- Leftover wings can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Keywords: Lemon pepper wings, chicken wings recipe, baked chicken wings, easy appetizer, crispy chicken wings, lemon butter sauce
