Lemon Pepper Wings (Air Fryer or Oven) + Video
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Lemon Pepper Wings turn out juicy and crispy like deep-fried, but are lower in fat when made in the air fryer or oven! Make this lemon pepper wings recipe for appetizers or dinner!
Lemon Pepper Wings
With the perfect balance of zingy, sweet heat, this lemon pepper wings recipe is sure to be a new favorite!
The secret to a flavor bomb of sauce is dried lemon zest — be sure to prep it beforehand for maximum results.
And when you use your air fryer, you’ll have an easy meal or appetizer ready to go in mere minutes without sacrificing the crispy skin you love!
Recipe Video
To see us make air fryer lemon pepper wings from start to finish, watch the video in this post!
There are so many different chicken wing recipes that you can try besides the standard buffalo wings.
In fact, you can make air fryer chicken wings 4 ways with my easy recipes!
Or, make sriracha honey or sweet and spicy bbq wings in the crockpot — perfect for large crowds or busy holiday appetizers.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken Wings – I like to use a blend of drumettes and flats, often labeled as a party mixture. Feel free to choose one over the other if you prefer.
- Baking Powder – Our secret ingredient for extra crispy skin!
- Seasonings – There’s loads of flavor in the sauce, so all you need for the meat itself is kosher salt, black pepper, and some garlic powder.
- Lemon Pepper Sauce – Bursting with buttery, zesty flavor! Whisk this together while the chicken is cooking, then toss together just before serving.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Sauce for Wings
NOTE: It’s important that you zest the lemons at least 5 hours before you make the sauce. You can even zest them the night before like I do.
Then, leave the zest on a plate and let it sit out on the kitchen counter until it dries.
- Combine sauce ingredients: Add melted butter, lemon zest, and seasonings to a small bowl, then whisk to combine.
- Coat the wings: When the chicken wings come out of the air fryer, place them into a stainless steel mixing bowl.
Pour the sauce over the wings and use tongs to move the pieces around in the sauce to coat them completely.
Serving Suggestions
For an easy meal, keep things casual with grilled sweet potato fries and a Chipotle Lime Mayo for dipping.
This Cucumber Tomato Salad Recipe makes a delicious healthy side dish — and it’s perfectly refreshing in hotter weather!
Hosting game day? Pair air fryer lemon pepper wings with more of your favorite party appetizers like spicy queso blanco and plenty of crispy onion rings.
Lemon Pepper Wings Recipe FAQ
That will depend on both the model and size of your air fryer.
While it’s tempting to stack them to maximize space, keep the wings in a single layer with enough space around them to allow air to circulate.
This recipe makes enough for 4 pounds of lemon pepper chicken wings, drumettes, and flats.
Yes, you can make this lemon pepper wings recipe with skinless chicken.
If you’d prefer to make them boneless and skinless, you can serve them as popcorn chicken rather than wings.
If you are making a large batch, you can place them on a rack over a cookie sheet in a warm oven (250 to 300°F) while the rest of your lemon pepper wings finish cooking.
You need them to start out crispy too! Don’t stack lemon pepper wings in the air fryer — the air needs to be able to circulate around each piece.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Wings in the Oven
I just love the convenience of my air fryer, but the oven is definitely helpful when you need to make a large batch!
Prepare the lemon pepper wings as directed, but place them on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
Spray each wing with olive oil to help them get nice and crispy. Then, bake them for 45 minutes at 400°F.
Storing and Reheating Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Once cooled, transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze cooked lemon pepper chicken wings for up to 6 months, but they’ll lose flavor and texture the longer they are stored.
Return lemon pepper wing to the air fryer and heat for 4 minutes at 360°F, then 5 minutes at 400°F. This will make them crispy once again!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Lemon Pepper Wings (Air Fryer or Oven) + Video
Ingredients
Wings
- 4 pounds chicken wings, drumettes and flats
- 1 tablespoon baking powder, aluminum-free
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Lemon Pepper Sauce
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon dried lemon zest*
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Place the wings in a large bowl, add the baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the wings in the basket in a single layer, not touching. Air fry for 12 minutes, flip, and air fry an additional 12 minutes. Continue until all the wings are done.
- Meanwhile; place all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, whisk to combine. Toss wings in sauce.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published September 2020, updated and republished November 2023
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This sounds so delicious, can't wait to make them.
Made this recipe tonight, a true winner! Thank you so much!!!!
I love when you give the option of air-fryer and the oven. I love these both ways, but I have to say oven wins on this one. As it bakes the flavor is more prominent. I will be making these for gatherings
Are the wings frozen prior to air frying them?