These Crispy Lemon Pepper Wings are juicy chicken wings fried to golden brown perfection then tossed in a sweet, spicy and lemony honey glaze! They are the perfect appetizer for your next game day gathering and they will keep you coming back for more. If you want more delicious chicken wing recipes, check out my Crispy Buffalo Wings, Mango Jerk Wings, Nashville Hot Chicken Wings and Pomegranate Honey Wings.
The Most Flavorful and Perfect Honey Lemon Pepper Party Wings Recipe
With the football season in full effect and the holidays at their peak I am on full GO-mode. My oven is constantly preheated and the dishwasher hasn’t stopped running since September.
As an avid entertainer, I love recipes that are a hit with my family and friends. If there is ever an excuse for me to get in the kitchen and whip up something good, I’m there.
So as busy as the last few months have been, I’ve truly enjoyed developing recipes and creating delicious memories for my loved ones. These Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings have been this season’s stand out dish. Chicken wings make even the smallest of occasions feel like a party and they never seem to last too long. Let me show you why!
What Are Lemon Pepper Wings?
At the mention of wings what immediately comes to mind is buffalo, bbq and maybe even teriyaki. I’m not knocking any of these classic flavors but if you ask me, lemon pepper has them beat.
To begin with, who doesn’t love fried chicken? It’s probably the most well known comfort food in America (but especially the South). Crispy exterior, tender interior and a salty but not too salty skin.
The lemon pepper seasoning takes the wings to the next level. There is a zest from the lemon, a bite from the pepper and a balanced sweetness from the honey. With each bite you’ll find a new flavor to enjoy.
How To Make Lemon Pepper Wings
Not to toot my own horn but these are the best Lemon Pepper Wings I’ve ever had. It all comes down to a few key ingredients that this recipe wouldn’t be the same without. Don’t worry, I’ll share my secrets with ya!
Cornstarch
This is one of my favorite ingredients that I use for frying chicken. It creates the most perfect crunchy bite that makes fried chicken so irresistible. When combined with flour, it helps create a golden brown crust on the outside of the chicken that also becomes a barrier that helps the chicken stay super juicy inside.
Honey
Honey acts as an adhesive in this recipe; it ensures your spice blend and moisture will cling to each wing. It also adds a natural sweetness that balances out the acidity from the lemon and the heat from the cayenne.
Fresh Lemon Juice
The majority of our flavoring in this recipe comes from the lemon pepper seasoning but I prefer to add a bit of freshness as well. Just a few squeezes of lemon adds a pop of flavor! I use lemon juice in other recipes like this Breaded Chicken Piccata and Roasted Lemon Chicken and Potatoes.
Cayenne
Now, I don’t know about you but I love a little bit of heat in just about everything I make. Just a dash of cayenne adds a subtle heat that just about everyone will love. If you prefer spicier wings just add more cayenne, it’s that simple!
Chicken wings are almost always deep fried because let’s be honest, there’s just no better way to serve it up. But if you’re looking to be a bit healthier or want to change things up I’ve got your back.
Bake
Frying wings can be messy and a bit time consuming but baking them is incredibly simple. I love to bake these wings for a quick weeknight dinner or for last-minute entertaining. You can bake them without the batter by just creating a spice blend with the seasonings I use in the flour mixture to fry the wings. Sprinkle the spice blend only on all sides of the wings then bake!
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place a cooling rack on top of the foil and arrange the wings in a single layer on top.
Bake for 25-35 minutes or until crispy and cooked all the way through. Toss your wings in the glaze and serve!
Grill
When the Summer is hot and the grill is even hotter, I love to toss up a batch of these wings. Remember to create a spice blend with the seasonings used in the flour and sprinkle the spice blend only on the wings. Oil your grill rack, preheat to medium heat (about 350) and grill your wings for about 12 minutes. Turn your wings occasionally to help slowly render the fat and cook the flesh without burning.
Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for another 5-10 minutes to ensure the meat is cooked through and the skin is lightly charred and crisp. Once done, toss your wings in the glaze and enjoy!
How To Serve Party Wings
There’s really no wrong way to serve these wings! I love setting them out on a fun platter with a sprinkle of minced parsley for a pop of color and a greek yogurt dipping sauce on the side.
These wings work great as an addition to a game day appetizer table!
As a main course, these wings go wonderfully alongside a simple salad or nice side dishes like Jollof Rice and Rice and Peas.
Lemon Pepper Wings
Ingredients
For the Wings
- 4 tsp seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 2.5 lb party wings
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Lemon Pepper Glaze
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- a pinch of black pepper
- 3/4 tsp lemon pepper
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- lemon pepper for garnish
Instructions
- Add salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon pepper, garlic, paprika and cornstarch to flour in a storage bag or paper bag and shake to mix thoroughly. Set aside.
- Whisk together eggs and hot sauce in a medium sized bowl.
- Working with one chicken wing piece at a time, use tongs and add to egg mixture thoroughly coating and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Next, dredge the chicken wing into the flour mixture then transfer to a plate or wire rack to set.
- Repeat with all chicken pieces then let set for 15-20 minutes while you heat the oil.
- Heat 3 inches of oil in a large deep pot to 350 degrees F.
- When the oil is hot enough that it bubbles around the chicken when the edge of a piece is dripped into it, use tongs to gently and carefully place a few pieces in the oil. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Cook the chicken, turning the wing pieces every few minutes and adjusting the heat as needed, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is firm to the touch. This should take about 7-10 minutes.
- As chicken fries, prepare the glaze. Whisk together butter, pepper, lemon pepper, honey and lemon juice until smooth.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined serving platter and continue frying the rest, adding more oil to the pot if necessary.
- As chicken wings are removed and placed on paper towels, dip them in lemon pepper glaze, sprinkle top with just a little lemon pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
Sprinkle the spice blend only (no flour or cornstarch or egg will be used) on all sides of the wings then bake! Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place a cooling rack on top of the foil and arrange the wings in a single layer on top. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until crispy and cooked all the way through. Toss your wings in the glaze and serve! To Grill
Sprinkle the spice blend only on the wings (no flour, cornstarch or egg is used here). Oil your grill rack, preheat to medium heat (about 350) and grill your wings for about 12 minutes. Turn your wings occasionally to help slowly render the fat and cook the flesh without burning. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for another 5-10 minutes to ensure the meat is cooked through and the skin is lightly charred and crisp. Once done, toss your wings in the glaze and enjoy!
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Delicious!! I baked them on 425 for about 45 minutes, dunked them in the glaze and broiled them for another 5 minutes because I love all things crispy! Only thing I changed is I added spicy Slap Your Mama seasoning because I love spice! These were amazing and will be in heavy rotation.
My partner loved these wings. I wanted more tartnesss, but enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing!
Would you use the flour, corn starch and egg if using an air fryer?
Yes I would use everything as is unless you don’t want the breading on it and want to just use the seasoning. Either way is great!
I made these in the air fryer last night. I prefer breaded fried wings but have only made naked wings in the air fryer. The Quarantine has emboldened me so, based on the comments, I decided to try it. OMG. It had everything a deep fried wing would have in terms of presentation, crunch, crisp, and taste. The only real addition was that I sprayed both sides of the wings with Pam before I put them in the Air Fryer at 390 degrees for about 20 min, flipping at the halfway mark. Also, when I halved the recipe! I only used one egg. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this information!
With these work well as chicken fingers to?
Yes indeed!
Thank you so much for the recipe! I inhaled these and then shared with coworkers who devoured them!
I made these wings for my husband for Super Bowl Sunday, he asked me to make them again on Monday. Loved that touch of honey. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Can you give the recipe for baking or grilling them. It seems this recipe you have is for frying. Im trying to stay away from fried food for a little bit. Thanks in advance
Yes Chadwich, all of the information regarding the baking and grilling instructions are in the actual post language. I will also add them to notes of the recipe card too!
So if I’m baking these I just season and bake right ? No flour , cornstarch or eggs
Exactly. Just the seasoning. No flour, cornstarch or eggs unless you are frying them.