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Lemon Pepper Wings are easy to make and so much better for you because they are baked instead of fried! Coated in flour, baking powder and spices, these baked lemon pepper chicken wings are crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside.
Serve with my lemon yogurt dip (recipe included below) for a truly zesty bite!
Table of Contents
Baked Lemon Pepper Wings
It’s time to switch things up from the traditional buffalo wings – introducing lemon pepper chicken wings! Crispy, juicy, and baked instead of fried, these zesty wings are the new star of game day.
You’ll love that they are:
- Easy to Make – Just 7 simple ingredients, spices included!
- Crispy and Juicy – No frying needed to get super crispy and super juicy wings. The steps you take before baking, and the coating that’s applied, work together to create perfectly crispy skin. I’ve used this method with a lot of different flavors for the best Buffalo Wings, Garlic Parmesan Wings and Barbecue Wings.
- So Flavorful – The lemon pepper seasoning and lemon zest in the coating offer the perfect zesty bite for the best lemon pepper wings.
What you need
Ingredients
- Chicken Wings – You can go with all flats or all drumettes, or a combination. Fresh is best, but you can use frozen as long as you completely thaw them first.
- All-purpose flour and baking powder – the two main components of the coating. They help to dry the skin and make it extra crispy.
- Lemon pepper seasoning – This is the main seasoning so make sure you have a fresh bottle.
- Fresh lemon zest – Zest a lemon then save it to use the juice another time. Perhaps for my Lemon Vinaigrette?
- Garlic powder – A perfect balance of flavor for the lemon pepper.
How do you get wings so crispy in the oven?
Baking powder (not to be confused with baking soda) is really what makes all the difference. It is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar and cornstarch that, when mixed with salt and tossed to coat the chicken, dries out the skin leaving it crispy and crunchy when baked.
There’s a bunch of sciencey explanation behind this reaction, but basically it’s because the baking powder raises the pH level in the chicken which dries the skin and makes it crispy.
Serving Suggestions
When served as a main course, you’ll want to make sure you have at least 6-8 wings per person, which is about ¾ of a pound. Serve with some lemony side dishes, like Roasted Lemon Potatoes and a peppery Arugula Salad.
As an appetizer, plan for 2-4 per person and keep the pairings small and light. Wings are a pretty heavy app so things like Deviled Eggs or Bacon Crackers are good options.
No matter how I serve them, I always whip up a zesty lemon yogurt dip to go with them. It’s a simple blend of creamy plain yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest and black pepper. If you want to spice it up you can add hot sauce to your liking.
Storage Tips
Best Way to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate leftover wings in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Enjoy cold or reheat in the oven or air fryer. Keep in mind that reheated wings will likely not retain the same crispiness as fresh.
You can freeze baked chicken wings, too! Place cooled wings in a freezer bag or container and seal out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat same as above.
Recipe Tips
- Dry the wings as much as possible. For best results, lay out chicken wings on a baking sheet and let them dry out in the fridge overnight, or at least for a couple of hours. The drier the skin, the crisper it will get.
- If you like your wings saucy, try this: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and pour over the wings, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with a half teaspoon (or more) of lemon pepper seasoning and toss again.
- Lemon Pepper seasoning is just cracked black pepper infused with granulated lemon zest. The spice blend is readily available at your local grocery store you can make your own.
- If you have a baking rack that fits over your baking sheet, use that. It helps elevate the wings so the air can circulate around them as they bake.
More Chicken Recipes
- Baked Chicken Breasts
- Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
- Crispy Cheesy Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
- Easy Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Chicken wings or drumettes about 3 dozen pieces, fully thawed
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons Baking powder
- 2 tablespoons Lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 Lemon, zested
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Zesty Lemon Yogurt Dip
- 1 cup Plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- Pinch Salt
- ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
- Hot sauce optional, to taste
Instructions
Chicken Wings
- Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels.
- Optional, but highly effective next step: Arrange wings on a baking sheet (touching is fine), cover with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for several hours. Overnight is ideal. If you don’t have the time, you can skip this step, just be sure to pat them as dry as possible with the paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 450℉.
- In a gallon-size resealable plastic bag, combine flour, baking powder, lemon pepper seasoning, lemon zest and salt. Add the chicken wings and seal the bag. Give it a good shake to coat the wings with the flour mixture.
- Cover a large baking sheet with foil, place a baking rack on top and spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. If you don't have a baking rack, just spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Arrange chicken on the baking rack, leaving space between for air to circulate.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until skin is crispy and the internal temperature reaches 160℉. If baking directly on the foil-lined sheet, flip the wings once after about 20 minutes.
- Serve with celery and carrot sticks and a side of my zesty Lemon Yogurt Dip or ranch dressing.
Lemon Yogurt Dip
- Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and store in the fridge until ready to use It should last a day or 2 stored in the refrigerator. Garnish with lemon zest and fresh cracked black pepper before serving
Notes
- For saucy wings, mix 4 tablespoons of melted butter with 2 teaspoons of lemon pepper seasoning and toss with the cooked wings.
- Make sure you are using baking POWDER and not soda as this makes a huge difference in taste and texture.
