These juicy Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings are perfectly buttery, garlicky, and zesty. They’re a surprisingly easy and flavorful appetizer tossed with crunchy almonds and parmesan cheese.
The Best Lemon Pepper Wings Recipe
These oven-baked lemon pepper chicken wings pack all the garlicky and citrusy goodness you could ever want. With crunchy bits of almonds and toasty parmesan cheese, they’re juicy, crispy, and, most of all, delicious. Tossed in a buttery, sweet, and savory sauce, the chicken wings become your favorite, highly addictive wings recipe. Not to mention that they are also super easy to make! And, if you’re not up for heating up the oven, though, they’re just as quick and effortless when thrown into the air fryer.
Served with lemon wedges to increase their lemony goodness, you might find yourself making huge batches in advance and freezing them for late-night cravings throughout the month. No one will judge you for it once they try them— except they might start racing you to the kitchen each night for a quick bite of chicken wings.
What Are Chicken Wings?
Chicken wings are a part of the chicken that consist of three sections: the drumette, wingette, and tip. The drumette resembles a small drumstick, while the wingette is flatter and has a bone running down the middle. The tip is the pointy end of the wing and is usually discarded. Chicken wings can be prepared in various ways, such as fried, baked, or grilled, and are often served as a snack or appetizer. They are a popular dish served with dipping sauces or as part of a main dish. Check out The National Chicken Council for the history of chicken wings.
Ingredients For Lemon Pepper Wings
For the Wings
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch – You can substitute it for more all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder – Don’t substitute it for baking soda.
- Chicken wings – The smaller they are, the crunchier they’ll turn out.
- Garlic cloves – Swap it out for 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder per clove of garlic.
- Olive oil – Canola, vegetable, and corn oil work too.
- Parmesan – Use the fresh parmesan for extra flavor.
- Dry-roasted sliced almonds – Salted or unsalted is okay.
- Lemon pepper seasoning
- Lemon zest
For the Lemon Pepper Sauce
- Unsalted butter – Stay away from salted butter unless absolutely necessary.
- Cayenne pepper
- Dried parsley
- Lemon juice – You can also use lime juice for more tang.
- Raw honey – Feel free to use maple syrup.
- Black pepper
Can I Use Frozen Wings?
Yes, however, you’ll need to adjust the cooking time, possibly adding another 10 to 15 minutes. Also, smaller frozen wings will cook much faster than larger ones.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Wings
- Prepare the sheet. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet or baking dish with aluminum foil. Set it aside. You can also just grease the baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Coat the chicken. Mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a large bowl. Toss the chicken in the mixture until it’s completely coated. Discard any excess flour.
- Add the lemon pepper. Add the garlic, olive oil, parmesan, almonds, lemon pepper seasoning, and zest to the bowl. Toss to combine.
- Arrange the tray. Place the chicken wings on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a bit of space in between them. This is so they can crisp up. Pour any remaining lemon pepper mixture over them. Place any leftover bits of parmesan and almonds on top of the wings.
- Bake. Pop them in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn them over and baste them with the cooking juices. Bake for another 20 minutes or until done.
- To make the Lemon Pepper Sauce. Mix the melted butter, cayenne, parsley, lemon juice, honey, and black pepper until well combined.
- Toss the wings. Remove the chicken wings from the oven. Transfer them to a heat-safe bowl and pour in the lemon pepper sauce. Toss until completely coated. Serve and enjoy.
Tips For Baked Chicken Wings
- Skip the flour. You can skip adding flour, cornstarch, and baking powder for an extra quick recipe. Once they’re baked, broil the wings for 1 to 2 minutes instead. They won’t be as crispy, but the flavor will be there.
- Use the air fryer. Pop them into your air fryer in batches. Cook them at 400˚F for 16 to 20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken wings.
- Use the cooking juices. Make the sauce extra flavorful by mixing in the cooking juices after baking.
- Adjust baking time. The larger the wings are, the more time they’ll require in the oven. Larger ones will need up to 45 minutes of cooking time, so just keep an eye on them.
- Dry them out. Spread the raw chicken wings on a baking sheet and then cover them with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the wings overnight to help the skin dry out. It will produce much crispier wings when you bake them the next day.
What To Serve With Chicken Wings
- I love these wings with carrot and celery crudités and Ranch Dressing or blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping. For equally healthy options, I go for my Air Fryer Avocado Fries, Oven Baked Seasoned French Fries, and Air Fryer Corn on the Cob.
- When I’m in the mood for something a little more like fast food, my Crispy Air Fryer Frozen French Fries and Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers are my forever go-to’s.
- Don’t forget to add more parmesan cheese on top (feta cheese is great, too!) after they’re out of the oven to make them extra cheesy! After that, sprinkle with some parsley and add lemon wedges.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate any cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
- To reheat, sprinkle them with a couple of teaspoons of water and then microwave them for 1 to 2 minutes or until warm. For crispier results, reheat them in the air fryer at 350˚F for 5 minutes.
Can I Freeze Baked Wings?
- Absolutely! Once fully cooled, transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag or container and freeze them for 4 to 6 months. When you’re ready to consume the chicken wings, pop them into the oven at 350˚F for 15 minutes or until warm and heated through.
More Easy Wings Recipes
- Crock Pot Honey Mustard Chicken Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Dipping Sauce
- Crock Pot Citrus-Soy Chicken Drumsticks
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
ENJOY!
Crispy Lemon Pepper Wings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ to 2 pounds chicken wings, drumettes and wingettes separated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese, plus a little more for garnish
- ¼ cup dry roasted sliced almonds, finely crushed
- 1½ tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set it aside.
- Mix the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Toss the chicken wings in the mixture until completely coated.
- Add the garlic, olive oil, parmesan, almonds, lemon pepper seasoning, and zest to the wings. Toss to combine.
- Place the chicken wings on the baking sheet. Pour any remaining lemon pepper mixture over them.
- Pop them in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven, turn them over, and baste them with the cooking juices. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. Chicken is cooked through when the internal temperature registers at 165˚F.
- In the meantime, prepare the sauce: combine the melted butter, cayenne pepper, parsley, lemon juice, honey, and black pepper in a mixing bowl; mix until well combined. Set it aside.
- Remove the chicken wings from the oven. Transfer them to a heat-safe bowl and pour the prepared sauce over them. Toss until well coated.
- Garnish with a bit of shredded parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Chicken Wings: I used fresh (not frozen) chicken wings, but you can also use frozen chicken wings. However, frozen wings will take longer to cook through, about 15 more minutes or so.
- For crispier skin, I suggest arranging the chicken wings on a baking sheet the night before. Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Precut wings: To save some time, you can look for chicken wings that have the wingettes and drumettes already separated.
- Almonds: In this recipe, I used roasted sliced almonds and then pulsed them a few times in my food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, place the almonds in a ziplock bag, seal the bag, and crush them with a rolling pin or a skillet.
- Air Fryer Method: Cook the wings at 400˚F for 16 to 20 minutes or until cooked through, turning them over halfway through cooking.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
