It doesn't get any better than chicken wings with crispy skin and juicy fall-off-the-bone meat! These baked chicken wings are tossed in a delectable, buttery, lemon pepper sauce that clings to the wings perfectly! Serve them for summer holidays, backyard get-togethers, game day parties, or any wing-worthy moment! Air fryer instructions also provided.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked lemon pepper chicken wings, baked lemon pepper wings, best lemon pepper wings, homemade lemon pepper wings, honey lemon pepper wings, how to make lemon pepper wings, lemon pepper sauce for wings, lemon pepper wing sauce
Servings: 24
Calories: 315kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
1tablespoonbaking powder
1teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoonkosher salt
¼teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
4poundschicken wings*
Lemon Pepper Wing Sauce
12tablespoonsunsalted butter
5tablespoonshoney
¾teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
½teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoononion powder
¼teaspoonkosher salt
1tablespooncornstarch
2tablespoonsdried lemon zest**
Instructions
Baked Chicken Wings
Preheat oven to 425F, line a half sheet pan with wire rack with foil for easier cleanup; set aside. Tip - I highly recommend using a pan with a wire rack for the crispiest wings although a regular sheet pan without a rack may be substituted.
To a large bowl, add the baking powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and stir to combine.
Add the wings to the dry mixture and toss well to coat evenly. Note - If using whole wings, separate the flat part of the wings from the drumette by slicing directly through the joint. Separate the tip of the wing from the flat by again slicing down through the joint. Discard the wingtips.
Place the wings on the wire rack and bake for 1 hour, or until golden browned and crisp. Turn every 20 minutes.
Lemon Pepper Wing Sauce
I recommend making the sauce in the last 20 minutes or so of wing baking. To a medium saucepan, add the butter and heat over medium-low heat to melt, stirring frequently to encourage melting.
Add the honey, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and stir to combine.
Add the corn starch, whisking constantly after you add it.
Heat the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes, or until you see the sauce just barely start to simmer. The sauce should have thickened and be free from lumps.
Take it off the heat, whisk in the lemon zest, and set aside. Note - The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools so even if it doesn't seem very thick initially, it will thicken as it cools.
Transfer the cooked wings to a large bowl, evenly drizzle the sauce over the wings, and toss well to combine. Serve immediately.
Air Fryer Instructions
Preheat your air fyrer to 360F, let it preheat for 5 minutes, and then spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or olive oil spray. I recommend an XL air fryer to minimize the amount of batches you’ll have to take in and out of your fryer.
Add the wings to the basket, not touching, and air fry for 12 minutes. Tip: Do not crowd the wings!
Flip, and air fry for an additional 12 minutes.
Repeat and cook the wings batches until all the wings have been cooked.
Make the sauce as directed and then when they’ve all been air fried, toss them in the sauce.
Notes
*I prefer using fresh over frozen wings. If you’re using frozen, they need to be thawed first before beginning the recipe for baked lemon pepper wings.You can use either drums, or drumettes, which look like little chicken legs and have one single main bone running through the middle.Or you can use whole wings. If you’re using whole wings, separate the flat part of the wings from the drumette by slicing directly through the joint.Separate the tip of the wing from the flat by again slicing down through the joint. Discard the wingtips.**To make dried lemon zest, zest four lemons and place the zest on a plate and allow it to sit out overnight so the zest is completely dried. The zest of 4 lemons equals about 2 tablespoons of dried lemon zest. Only use the yellow part of the lemon peel and not the white part (pith) because it's bitter. So take care when zesting to just use the yellow.Then when you’re making the buttery sauce for the chicken wings, your lemon zest will be ready to go.Alternatively, you can zest your lemons as you’re making the sauce use them in the sauce immediately. However, I prefer the subtle flavor and texture difference if you zest the lemons the night before. As a last resort you can use store bought dried lemon zest. Storage: Wings are best hot and fresh, but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months. Note that after wings have been refrigerated or frozen, they will lose much of their crispy factor.