Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
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Deliciously juicy, crispy chicken wings seasoned with lemon, pepper, garlic, onion, honey and butter. This Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings recipe is super easy to make with thoroughly scrumptious, finger-lickin’ results!
A healthier version, instead of deep-frying the wings, we’re baking them. But we have a trick for making them irresistibly crispy: we toss the chicken wings in baking powder before baking. Then when they’re good and crispy we brush them with melted butter, honey, and our homemade lemon pepper, and the end result is deliciously crispy, juicy, flavor-packed chicken wings that are positively finger-lickin’ scrumptious!
Enjoy these lemon pepper chicken wings as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce, or round it out for a complete meal with some yummy sides (see ideas below).
This Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings recipe features our homemade lemon pepper seasoning. Vastly more vibrant, tangy, zesty, and flavorful than store-bought, it’s a breeze to make yourself and you’ll be so glad you did!
The Secret to Crispy Chicken Skin
If we were deep-frying these wings we wouldn’t need a secret alternative. But we’re taking the healthier route and we’re baking them…but that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice the crispiness. America’s Test Kitchen discovered the secret to not only making fried chicken extra crunchy, but to also giving baked chicken extra crispy skin: Baking powder. The function of baking powder is that it raises the pH level of the chicken which causes the peptide bonds in the skin to break down, allowing the skin to become more crispy.
That simple step of coating the chicken with some baking powder before baking it will magically crisp up that chicken skin. A healthier and easier alternative to deep frying.
What to Serve with Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
As an appetizer all you need is a good dip. If you’d like to round out the meal there are a number of options you can try. Here are few ideas of what you can serve with your lemon pepper chicken wings:
- Dipping Sauces: Classic options include ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, honey mustard, creamy garlic aioli, or you can also go for something refreshingly herbaceous like this creamy cilantro dressing.
- Vegetable Sticks: Celery, carrot and cucumber make great options.
- Coleslaw: Either a classic creamy coleslaw or a tangy freezer slaw.
- Potato Salad: like our classic potato salad.
- Corn on the Cob or our Mexican corn salad
- Garlic Bread or Dinner Rolls
- Rice or Quinoa
- Green Salad
- Fruit Salad
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the wings in a large bowl or gallon ziplock bag. Add the baking powder and salt and toss or shake the chicken wings to evenly coat. Place the chicken wings on the baking sheet in a single layer, leave a little space between each wing, and bake for 35-40 minutes, turning over halfway through, or until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165ºF.
- Prepare the lemon pepper seasoning while the wings are baking. Combine the melted butter, honey, lemon juice and lemon pepper in a bowl.
- Remove the chicken wings from the oven and either brush on the seasoned butter mixture or drizzle it over the wings and toss to coat.
Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.
Enjoy!
For more delicious chicken dishes be sure to try our:
- Jerk Chicken
- Chicken Marsala
- Chicken Paprikash
- Hasselback Chicken
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Chicken Stroganoff
- Mongolian Chicken
- Chicken Piccata
- Butter Chicken
- Sesame Chicken
- Tandoori Chicken
- Pollo a la Brasa
- Doro Wat
- Orange Chicken
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken wings , patted dry with paper towels
- 2 tablespoons baking powder (preferably aluminum-free, but with aluminum will also work)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons homemade lemon pepper (click for recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.Place the wings in a large bowl or gallon ziplock bag. Add the baking powder and salt and toss or shake the chicken wings to evenly coat. Place the chicken wings on the baking sheet in a single layer, leave a little space between each wing, and bake for 35-40 minutes, turning over halfway through, or until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken registers 165ºF.
- Prepare the lemon pepper seasoning while the wings are baking. Combine the melted butter, honey, lemon juice and lemon pepper in a bowl. Remove the chicken wings from the oven and either brush on the seasoned butter mixture or drizzle it over the wings and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
