These Lemon Pepper Wings are baked, not fried, but made super crispy with a secret ingredient! They’re brushed with a lemon pepper butter sauce to make them extra delicious and the perfect snack!
These lemon pepper wings are crispy and zesty with lots of fresh lemon flavor!
Take a detour from the usual with these bright wings that can be perfectly cooked in the air fryer or in the oven!
Crispy Lemon Pepper Wings
These lemon pepper wings are crispy fried chicken wings brushed with lemon pepper butter. An easy appetizer or main course that’s even better than the restaurant version!
You can’t eat just one of these deliciously addictive lemon pepper wings! They’re great for game day, or serve them over mashed potatoes with a side of roasted broccoli for a fabulous dinner option.
I can never resist ordering chicken wings at restaurants – they’re incredibly crispy on the outside, yet juicy and tender on the inside. Add a savory lemon pepper butter and you have the absolute best lemon pepper wings imaginable!
We love this take on a popular snack staple. These are nice and tangy, lip-smacking good!
Cook these in the air fryer or in the oven if you need a bigger batch.
Lemon pepper and lemon zest add lots of great flavor to these.
They require very little prep and are easy to make.
Sprinkle on some parmesan cheese if desired.
What’s in Lemon Pepper Wings?
CHICKEN WINGS Purchasing split wings (into little drumsticks and the flat parts) saves you time from splitting them yourself. These can be made with fresh or frozen wings. Frozen wings will need more time to cook.
SEASONING If using store-bought lemon pepper, taste it before adding. Some brands can be incredibly salty so you might need to reduce the amount you add.
WHAT CHICKEN WINGS SHOULD I USE?
Whole chicken wings consist of three segments: the drumette, the wingette and the tip. For this baked Lemon Pepper Wings recipe, I recommend drumettes and wingettes. Here’s the breakdown:
the first segment – the drumette: looks like a small drumstick. It is attached to the main part of the chicken. It is nice and meaty with a high ratio of meat to skin.
the second segment – the flat, wing or wingette: are the middle part of the wing, attached to both the first and third segments. It is flat with two thin bones running down its length. It consists of tender dark meat.
the third segment – the tip: are the end/tip of the wing. They consist of mostly bone, cartridge and skin, with little to no meat and as such, most packages of wings don’t include them.
A Healthier Way To Snack
I always bake my chicken wings, and they are so much better than the fried ones. They turn out super crispy and not to mention a lot less calories. Especially when you combine them with super fresh and bright lemon – it’s a snack made in heaven!
How to Make Lemon Pepper Wings
Pat wings dry with a paper towel.
Whisk melted butter and lemon juice and set aside.
Choose your cooking method below to make either oven baked wings or air fryer wings.
In the Air Fryer:
Preheat air fryer according to the recipe below and place wings in a single layer.
Cook until crisp.
Remove the wings from the air fryer and toss them with lemon and butter. Generously season with fresh black pepper. Serve hot.
In the Oven:
Toss with flour mixture & chill.
Place a rack on a foil-lined baking sheet and add wings.
Bake according to recipe instructions below.
Remove the wings from the oven and toss them with lemon and butter. Generously season with fresh black pepper. Serve hot.
Other Cooking Options
If you’re looking to fry your wings rather than bake them, then I have some instructions to get you there, so keep scrolling.
AIR FRYER
Pressure cook the wings: Pour the water into the pressure cooker and add the air frying basket. Toss the wings with salt and baking powder then dump them into the basket, seal with the pressure cooking lid, and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
Air fry the wings: Drizzle the oil over the wings and close the air frying lid. Cook on 425F for 20-25 minutes until they are crisp. Gently stir them every 7-10 minutes. Toss them with the lemon pepper butter and serve.
STOVE TOP FRYING
Heat a light vegetable oil like canola or peanut in a deep sauce pan to about 375 F degrees.
Fry the wings till crisp, about 9 – 12 minutes. Be sure there’s no pink left and that the juices run clear.
Follow the other directions detailed above to finish the wings.
Storing Leftovers
The wings themselves will last in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To freeze just store the wings in an airtight container for up to 4 months, to reheat just thaw in the fridge over night before popping in the oven till heated through.
Full recipe
PREP TIME 20 minutes
COOK TIME 40 minutes
CHILL TIME 15 minutes
SERVING 4
Lemon Pepper Wings are crispy, juicy, and perfectly seasoned!
These lemon pepper wings are crispy and zesty with lots of fresh lemon flavor!
Take a detour from the usual with these bright wings that can be perfectly cooked in the air fryer or in the oven!
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds chicken wings
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon pepper *see note
1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest
1 clove garlic minced
fresh black pepper and kosher salt
fresh thyme and parsley for garnish optional
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
For Oven Method Only
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon flour
Instructions
Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels.
Air Fryer Instructions
Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
Toss wings with olive oil, lemon pepper, lemon zest, and garlic.
Place wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook 10 minutes.
Flip wings and cook an additional 10 minutes or until crispy.
Combine butter and lemon juice and toss with wings. Generously season with extra pepper, salt to taste, and fresh thyme if desired. Serve immediately.
Oven Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss wings with flour and baking powder. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes.
Toss wings with olive oil, lemon pepper, lemon zest, and garlic.
Line a pan with foil and top with a baking rack. Spray the rack with cooking spray.
Bake wings 20 minutes, flip and bake an additional 15 minutes or until crisp. Broil 1 minute each side if desired.
Combine butter and lemon juice and toss with wings. Generously season with extra pepper, salt to taste, and fresh thyme if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Taste your lemon pepper before seasoning the chicken and if it's very salty, reduce the amount.
Flour and baking powder are not required when cooking in an air fryer.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
Calories: 322, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 143mg, Potassium: 266mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 403IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 1mg
HOW TO BREAK DOWN WHOLE CHICKEN WINGS
If you purchase whole chicken wings, you will need to break them into the first, second and third segments. You will want to separate the third segment/tips and not use them for Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings unless you like gnawing on just the skin. Instead, you can save them in the freezer to use for chicken stock.
BREAKING DOWN A CHICKEN WING IS VERY SIMPLE:
Locate the two joints which attach the first and third section to the flat//wingette – you will be able to feel where they are connected through the skin.
Using as pair of kitchen shears, snip through the center of each joint to separate them. You will be left with the drumette, flat and tip.
TIPS TO FOR BAKED LEMON PEPPER WINGS
Don’t wash your chicken first. Although this might be a touchy subject, there is a lot of research to back up that you should not wash your chicken first as it spreads germs all over your sink and kitchen. If you’re interested in learning more, you can google the topic. Also, for our purposes, washing the chicken wings will inhibit them from become crunchy.
Dry chicken wings. Don’t just pat the wings dry with paper towels, but squeeze them VERY DRY (this is dry from the packaging not from washing). The drier the wings, the crispier they will get. Dry skin also helps the rub stick. You can even refrigerate your wings for up to 6 hours on a baking rack for the skin to dry out even more. If you do refrigerate the wings, be sure to bring them to room temperature before baking. This should only take about 15 minutes on the counter.
Use a baking rack. Line a regular size baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and then top with a baking rack. Spray baking rack with cooking spray – don’t forget this step or your wings will stick! The baking rack elevates the chicken wings so the air can circulate under the wings for crispier skin. It also lets the fat drip off the chicken instead of the wings sitting in a pool of grease.
Don’t skip baking powder. Baking powder is composed of an acid which draws moisture to the surface of the chicken skin where it evaporates, accelerating the browning process so your chicken can get nice and crispy. Do NOT use baking SODA!