Honey Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings are the perfect combination of savory, sweet, and zesty. The skin is sticky and crispy and the meat is tender, juicy, and falls off the bone. Follow our simple instructions for broiling or baking depending on your preference!
We love these Honey Lemon Pepper Wings as a main course or appetizer to share. For a main course, we typically enjoy them with potatoes or rice and a veggie. If we make them to share for a party or barbecue, we just double or triple the recipe.
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About Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
- Taste - These Honey Lemon Pepper wings are sweet, savory, and just a little spicy.
- Texture - The wings have the perfect crispy outside and tender inside.
- Effort - This wings recipe has just a few steps. All you need to do is prepare and season the chicken, bake the chicken, then toss the wings in sauce.
- Time - It takes about 5 minutes to prep the wings then either 15 minutes or 45 minutes to broil or bake the wings, then about 5 minutes to prepare the sauce and toss the wings.
Ingredients
Oven Baked Wings
- Chicken wings - You can use either flats, drumettes, or both depending on your preference.
- Olive oil - Olive oil helps to make the wings crispy.
- Lemon juice - Fresh lemon juice adds a bright citrus flavor.
- Baking powder - Baking powder creates more surface area on the wings and helps them get crispy.
- Kosher salt - Kosher salt accentuates the other flavors.
- Freshly ground black pepper - Pepper adds a nice little spice.
- Garlic powder - Garlic powder adds a light garlicky flavor to the wings.
- Smoked paprika - The paprika is smoky, spicy, and a little sweet.
Lemon Pepper Sauce
- Butter - Butter is the rich base for the sauce.
- Lemon pepper seasoning - Lemon pepper seasoning is a vibrant and zesty seasoning. Try our simple homemade recipe or use store-bought.
- Lemon juice - Lemon juice adds brightness.
- Honey - Honey adds a sweetness to balance the other savory flavors.
- Garlic - Garlic adds the quintessential aroma.
- Italian flat leaf parsley - Parsley has an earthy pepperiness.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions/Variations
- Spicy - Add red chili flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce to make it extra spicy.
- Onion powder - Sprinkle some onion powder on the chicken for a light oniony flavor.
- Hot honey sauce - Try these wings with our hot honey sauce for a uniquely sweet and spicy twist.
- Dipping sauce - Enjoy these wings with our homemade Greek yogurt ranch or your favorite dipping sauces.
Instructions
Baked Lemon Pepper Wings
- Preheat oven to bake - Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
- Prepare chicken - Add olive oil, lemon juice, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place in the mixing bowl. (Photo 1 and 2)
- Toss wings - Then toss the wings in the mixture until completely coated. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet or a greased cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. (Photo 3 and 4)
- Bake chicken - Leave some space between each wing and avoid crowding so the chicken cooks evenly and gets crispy. Place in the oven and cook for 40-50 minutes, turning the wings over halfway through. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C). (Photo 5)
- Make lemon pepper sauce - While the wings bake, add butter, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, honey, garlic, and parsley to a saucepan. Then warm on medium-low heat until the butter and honey are melted. Stir until combined then remove from heat. (Photo 6, 7, and 8)
- Toss in sauce - Remove the chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a clean mixing bowl. Toss in the lemon pepper glaze until coated. Then transfer to a clean serving platter and serve immediately. (Photo 9 and 10)
Broiled Lemon Pepper Wings
- Preheat oven to boil - Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to broil on high.
- Prepare chicken - Add olive oil, lemon juice, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place in the mixing bowl. Then toss the wings in the mixture until completely coated.
- Broil chicken - Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet or a greased cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Leave some space between each wing and avoid crowding so the chicken cooks evenly and gets crispy. Place in the oven and cook for 10-14 minutes, turning halfway through. Make sure to quickly remove the baking sheet and close the oven door when you turn the wings over to avoid the hot air from escaping. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
- Make lemon pepper sauce - While the wings bake, add butter, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, honey, garlic, and parsley to a saucepan. Then warm on medium-low heat until the butter and honey are melted. Stir until combined then remove from heat.
- Toss in sauce - Remove the chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a clean mixing bowl. Toss in the lemon pepper sauce until coated. Then transfer to a clean serving platter and serve immediately.
Pro tip - If you want the sauce to be stickier and less drippy, dress the wings in the sauce then throw them back in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes.
What to Serve with Lemon Pepper Wings
These homemade lemon pepper wings are an easy and flavorful main course or appetizer. We love to make them for a simple weeknight meal or for barbecues and parties with family and friends. We usually enjoy them with simple sides like our pan fried or mashed potatoes and a tasty veggie like our corn and zucchini fritters or elotes corn. Try them with a delicious dipping sauce like our Greek yogurt ranch or garlic parmesan sauce for extra flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Why are lemon pepper wings so good?
These wings have the perfect taste and texture. They are robustly flavored but not overpowering and the they are perfectly crispy and juicy.
What is the best cooking method for lemon pepper wings?
This depends on your personal preference. Some people fry them, but we find it easiest to broil or bake them and we don't find that it sacrifices texture. If we want super crispy wings that are slightly charred, we broil them. If we want standard crispy wings, we bake them.
How do I get a crispy texture on lemon pepper wings?
First, pat them dry to get rid of excess moisture. Second, you can bake them for an extra few minutes to make them extra crispy.
Are lemon pepper wings gluten-free?
Yes, all of the ingredients in this recipe are gluten free.
How spicy are lemon pepper wings?
Don't be intimidated, these wings are just slightly spicy from the smoked paprika and lemon pepper seasoning. If you want to make them spicier, you can add cayenne pepper or hot honey sauce.
Is lemon pepper made from lemons?
Yes, lemon pepper seasoning is made from dried lemon peels, black peppercorns, and salt.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover lemon pepper chicken wings for up to 3 days in an air-tight container. In order to reheat the chicken, reheat them in the oven at 300°F until warm. You can also freeze the wings in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months.
Cooking Tips
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and increase crispiness.
- To ensure the wings are fully cooked, you can use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature has reached 165°F (74°C).
- Everybody has a different oven. If you like your skin crispier, cook the chicken in the broiler for a couple of extra minutes until the skin reaches your desired crispiness.
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📖 Recipe
Honey Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Honey Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings are the perfect combination of savory, sweet, and zesty. The skin is sticky and crispy and the meat is tender, juicy, and falls off the bone. Follow our simple instructions for broiling or baking depending on your preference!
Servings: 2
Calories: 621kcal
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
Oven Baked Wings
- 1½ lbs chicken wings (flats and drumettes)
- 1½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
Baked Lemon Pepper Wings
- Preheat oven to bake - Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
- Prepare chicken - Add olive oil, lemon juice, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place in the mixing bowl. Toss the wings in the mixture until completely coated.1½ tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1½ lbs chicken wings
- Bake chicken - Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet or a greased cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Leave some space between each wing and avoid crowding so the chicken cooks evenly and gets crispy. Place in the oven and cook for 40-50 minutes, turning the wings over halfway through. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
- Make sauce - While the wings bake, add butter, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, honey, garlic, and parsley to a saucepan. Warm on medium-low heat until the butter and honey are melted. Stir until combined then remove from heat.4 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 clove garlic, ½ tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley
- Toss in sauce - Remove the chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a clean mixing bowl. Toss in the lemon pepper sauce until coated. Transfer to a clean serving platter and serve immediately.
Broiled Lemon Pepper Wings
- Preheat oven to boil - Place the rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to broil on high.
- Prepare chicken - Add olive oil, lemon juice, baking powder, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika to a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Dry chicken wings with a paper towel and place in the mixing bowl. Toss the wings in the mixture until completely coated.1½ tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1½ lbs chicken wings
- Broil chicken - Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet or a greased cooling rack on top of a baking sheet. Leave some space between each wing and avoid crowding so the chicken cooks evenly and gets crispy. Place in the oven and cook for 10-14 minutes, turning halfway through. Make sure to quickly remove the baking sheet and close the oven door when you turn the wings over to avoid the hot air from escaping. Cook until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature is 165°F (74°C).
- Make sauce - While the wings bake, add butter, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon juice, honey, garlic, and parsley to a saucepan. Warm on medium-low heat until the butter and honey are melted. Stir until combined then remove from heat.4 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 clove garlic, ½ tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley
- Toss in sauce - Remove the chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a clean mixing bowl. Toss in the lemon pepper sauce until coated. Transfer to a clean serving platter and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Storage
- Refrigerate leftover lemon pepper chicken wings in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. In order to reheat the wings, reheat them in the oven at 300°F until warm. You can also freeze the wings in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months.
- If you want the sauce to be stickier and less drippy, dress the wings in the sauce then throw them back in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes until sticky.
- Pat the wings dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and increase crispiness.
- To ensure the wings are fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature has reached 165°F (74°C).
- Everybody has a different oven. If you like crispier chicken skin, cook the chicken in the broiler for a couple extra minutes until the skin reaches your desired crispiness.
Nutrition
Calories: 621kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1652mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 936IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 3mg
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