Tasty and crispy Lemon Pepper Wings are made with seven easy ingredients in the oven or the air fryer. These party-perfect wings are cooked to golden brown perfection, without deep frying, and then slathered in a lemon pepper butter sauce for the ultimate wing experience.
Satisfy your craving for crispy, flavorful wings without the hassle of deep-frying. These lemon pepper wings are easy to make in the oven and are the perfect game-day snack or party appetizer. Bake up a few dozen for your next movie night extravaganza.
This is one of our favorite chicken wing recipes with a crispy texture and flavor from lemon pepper butter sauce. I love to serve these wings at my parties with buffalo chicken dip, corn dip, sausage balls, and loaded nachos.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken wings: look for meaty wings with the drummies and the flats split. Cut them if they are not separated.
- Cornstarch: Coating the wings with cornstarch gives them that extra crispy skin. It is easy, and this quickly seals the deal for crispy wing lovers.
- Butter: salted or unsalted will work
- Lemon: fresh lemon juice is a must for the best-tasting wings
- Lemon pepper seasoning: Make sure your lemon pepper is fresh. Lemon pepper loses its gusto as it ages.
How to make Lemon Pepper Wings
Start by drying your chicken wings very well. Then, combine the cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Add the wings and toss to coat. Now bake the wings in a preheated oven until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through.
When the wings are about done, melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon pepper, and honey.
Pour the butter mixture into a large bowl. Remove the wings from the oven and toss them in the melted butter mixture. Sprinkle with just a light dusting of lemon pepper. For best results, serve promptly. I like to serve them with homemade ranch, comeback sauce, or sweet and sour sauce.
Preparation Tips
- When baking the wings in the oven, use parchment paper on the sheet pan for even baking, extra crispy wings, and easy cleanup. Make sure the parchment paper is rated for at least 400 degrees.
- You can melt the butter in the microwave to save time on dishwashing, but I prefer to melt it on the stovetop.
- After smothering the wings in the butter mixture and before serving, sprinkle them with a little more lemon pepper or lemon zest.
- Garnish the platter with fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute increments until warm. For crispy skins, reheat in small batches in the air fryer at 360 degrees for 3-5 minutes or until warm.
Or reheat in a skillet. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, add the wings, and heat for 2-3 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time.
To freeze, first cool, then add the wings to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the air fryer at 360 degrees for 3-5 minutes or until warm.
More Game-Day Recipes
Lemon Pepper Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken wings split into drummies and flats
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning plus more for dusting.
- 1½ tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Dry the chicken wings very well using paper towels. Combine the cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Add the wings and toss to coat.
- Bake the wings for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through. Flip the wings halfway through the baking time.
- When the wings are just minutes from being done, melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon pepper, and honey. Pour the butter mixture into a large bowl. Remove the fully cooked wings from the oven and toss them in the butter mixture. Sprinkle with a dusting of lemon pepper. For best results, serve promptly.
Notes
- When baking the wings in the oven, use parchment paper on the sheet pan for even baking, extra crispy wings, and easy cleanup. Make sure the parchment paper is rated for at least 400 degrees.
- You can melt the butter in the microwave to save on dishwashing time, but I prefer to melt it over the stovetop.
- Sprinkle the wings with a little more lemon pepper or lemon zest right after smothering them in the butter mixture and before serving.
- Garnish the platter with fresh chopped parsley and lemon slices.
Nutrition
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Catherine
We included your recipe in our roundup of game-day snacks! You can check it out here – https://www.craftandcraveblog.com/post/game-day-snacks
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the love, Catherine!
Khush
These lemon pepper wings were fantastic. I made them for the playoffs and everyone loved them. My friends devoured them!
Sammy
I love lemon and chicken together, these chicken wings are so tasty and everyone loves them! I made them for yesterday’s football game and they were a big hit!
Janelle
I love thse lemon pepper wings! They are the perfect game day food. My husband and his buddies go nuts over them. Thank you!
Michelle M
These were amazing. My son loves these chicken wings. Thanks for the great recipe, Beth!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Michelle!
Lynndee
The hubs and I were just talking about chicken wings. Those wings look delish. Will save your recipe for later.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lynndee! Enjoy!
Laurie
My daughter loves these chicken wings! We make them often for movie night. They are crispy and perfectly seasoned.
Shelley
These lemon pepper wings are one of my favorite flavors of wings, they are the right amount of savory with a bit of tang. Great for gameday too!