Baked Lemon Pepper Wings – Averie Cooks

Baked Lemon Pepper Wings – It doesn’t get any better than chicken wings with crispy skin and juicy fall-off-the-bone meat! The 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.

Baked Lemon Pepper Wings Recipe

Everyone’s favorite appetizer, snack, and party food just got a lemon pepper makeover!

These baked lemon pepper have a wonderfully crispy exterior while the interior of these baked lemon pepper wings is tender and juicy. No dry chicken wings here!

That’s because after baking, the chicken wings are tossed in a homemade buttery lemon pepper sauce that is fabulous. It’s sweet, tangy, sticky, and there’s very slight heat from freshly cracked black pepper.

Because I use corn starch in the lemon pepper sauce, it clings to the wings perfectly and keeps them super flavorful and juicy.

Whether you want to serve these for Memorial Day, graduation parties, Fourth of July, casual backyard get-togethers, Labor Day, game day parties, or holiday entertaining, I can’t think of anyone who’ll be able to refuse these delectable baked chicken wings!

Ingredients in Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings with Lemon Sauce

For these crispy, juicy, and fall off the bone tender baked lemon pepper wings, you’ll need the following basic and common ingredients:

• Baking powder
• Garlic powder
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Chicken wings

For the lip-smacking lemon sauce, you’ll want to have on hand the following ingredients:

• Dried lemon zest (from fresh whole lemons)
• Unsalted butter
• Honey
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Kosher salt
• Corn starch

How To Make Lemon Pepper Wings in the Oven

Baked lemon pepper chicken wings are so easy to make! Follow these basic oven-baking directions:

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425F and line a half sheet pan with wire rack with foil for easier cleanup.

Step 2: Mix together the baking powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and toss the wings in it.

Step 3: Bake the wings for 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes. 

Tip: While the wings bake, make the lemon pepper sauce. 

How to Make Lemon Pepper Sauce for Baked Lemon Pepper Wings

Make this sweet and tangy lemon pepper sauce by following these straightforward steps:

Step 1: Melt the butter in a saucepan.

Step 2: Add the honey, pepper, garlic and onion powders, salt, and whisk to combine.

Step 3: Add the corn starch, whisk, and heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 4: Place the baked wings in a large bowl, drizzle the sauce over them, toss to combine, and dig in! 

Tips: The sauce thickens more as it cools so I suggest making it in the last 20 minutes or so of baking time rather than immediately after you start baking the wings.

Feel free to hold a little bit back and save some for direct dipping.

Make Dried Lemon Zest for Baked Lemon Pepper Wings

Lemon zest is critical to give you the luscious lemon flavor that these baked lemon pepper chicken wings have. 

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.

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. 

What Kind of Chicken Wings are Best for Baked Lemon Pepper Wings?

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.

Do I Have to Use Baking Powder for the Baked Lemon Pepper Wings?

No, you technically do not have to use baking powder in these baked lemon pepper wings.

But, the baking powder is what makes the wings crispy and that’s what we love. 

However, if you don’t want a crisp exterior, you can leave that omit the baking powder. Truthfully speaking though, who doesn’t want a crispy wing?

Although still toss the wings in the garlic powder, salt, and pepper if you’re omitting the baking powder.

Is Corn Starch Necessary for the Baked Lemon Pepper Wings Sauce?

For the wing sauce, corn starch is optional but highly recommended because it helps to get a thicker sauce onto the wings.

Normally lemon pepper wings can tend to be on dry side but with this sauce, they’re juicy and bursting with tons of lemon pepper flavor.

Can I Make Lemon Pepper Wings in an Air Fryer?

Yes, you absolutely can make these lemon pepper wings in an air fryer!

You’ll do everything the same, except for the actual cooking of the wings since air fryers cook differently than ovens.

Follow these basic air fryer cooking steps for lemon pepper chicken wings:

1. 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.
2. Add the wings to the basket, not touching, and air fry for 12 minutes. Tip: Do not crowd the wings!
3. Flip, and air fry for an additional 12 minutes.
4. Repeat and cook the wings batches until all the wings have been cooked.

I recommend an XL air fryer to minimize the amount of batches you’ll have to take in and out of your fryer.

Make the sauce as directed and then when they’ve all been air fried, toss them in the sauce.

Tip: Keep the already cooked wings warm by covering them with a sheet of foil. They’ll not only taste better but they’ll absorb the lemon zest sauce better, too.

Serving and Storage Suggestions for Baked Lemon Pepper Wings

Wings are a universal favorite appetizer, snack, and party favorite. They will go well with almost anything! From ham and cheese sliders to bacon potato salad, serve them with whatever tickles your fancy.

These baked lemon pepper wings are best hot and fresh from the oven. Although extra wings will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months.

Note that the skin will lose its crispiness once they are refrigerated or frozen. 

Tips for the Best Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

For the absolute best baked lemon pepper wings, I have a few final tips and suggestions.

Make sure that if you are going to make your own dried lemon zest, that you plan ahead and zest your lemons the night before and let it sit out on a plate. If you don’t plan ahead, there are other options as mentioned above but worth repeating to plan ahead.

When you’re baking the lemon pepper chicken wings, make sure the wings are not touching each other on the wire rack. 

I know this may be tricky because there are a lot of wings in 4 pounds but do your best. This will ensure they are crispy.

As it pertains to the wire rack, I do believe it’s necessary for the crispiest, most perfectly cooked wings. It’s worth the investment in a sheet pan with wire rack for the best tasting wings. Plus, you can use it to roast potatoes or other veggies, too.

However, if you don’t have a wire rack for your wings, bake them on a sheet pan, turn them frequently, and make absolutely sure they’re not touching.

Cooking the wings for an hour ensures a crispy exterior, but it also makes the meat extremely tender.

Technically, chicken only needs to cook until an interior temperature of 165°F, and they may reach that temp before one hour passed, but I recommend giving them the full hour in the oven so they are at peak crispiness and tenderness. 

Make sure when zesting your lemons to only use the yellow bit of the lemon peel, and not the white (pith). The pith is bitter so avoid that when zesting your lemons.

When making the buttery lemon sauce, make sure to use freshly cracked black pepper. Put away that shake-on little can of pepper you’ve had in your pantry forever and get crackin’ the fresh stuff!

Adding fresh herbs to the lemon butter sauce including parsley, scallions, or chives adds extra fresh flavor and is a nice touch visually speaking as well.

More Easy Chicken Recipes: 

Spicy Baked BBQ Chicken Wings — These baked bbq chicken wings are perfect for entertaining, parties, or whenever you’re craving juicy chicken wings. Bonus: you only need 5 ingredients!

15-Minute Sheet Pan Lemon Pepper Chicken — Fast, EASY, HEALTHY, and loaded with great lemon pepper flavor!! A DELISH one-pan meal with zero cleanup that’s perfect for busy weeknights!!

Sheet Pan Skinny Lemon Pepper Chicken and Vegetables – An easy sheet pan chicken dinner that’s ready in 25 minutes! Bonus that it’s skinny and has so much flavor from the lemon pepper!

Easy Lemon Pepper Chicken with Caramelized Lemons — If you like lemons you’re going to love this very lemony LEMON chicken!! Easy, healthy, ready in 20 minutes, and bursting with bold lemon flavor!!

Lemon Dijon Chicken Skillet — Tender, juicy chicken with a scrumptious sauce made with lemon butter, Dijon mustard, and a splash of wine for extra flavor!! This EASY stovetop chicken recipe is ready in 15 minutes and will become a family dinner FAVORITE!!

Lemon Butter Garlic Chicken Pasta — Buttery pasta with juicy chicken, flavored with lemon butter and garlic, and finished with Parmesan cheese!! A family-friendly dinner recipe that’s ready in 20 minutes and it’s so EASY!!

Lemon Pepper Chicken Pasta — EASY and ready in 15 minutes with comforting pasta, juicy chicken, and there is so much ZESTY flavor from the lemon, basil, and spinach!! A family favorite that’s perfect for busy weeknights!! 

Sheet Pan Whole-Roasted Chicken and Potatoes — FOUR ingredients + ONE pan = PERFECT roasted chicken with ZERO cleanup!! Your new FOOLPROOF and EASY roasted chicken recipe that’s ready in 1 hour!!

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