Lemon Pepper Wings

I take Lemon Pepper Wings seriously so trust me when I say this is the only recipe you will ever need. I’m talking pucker up flavor on flavor! I start by breading and frying these babies until golden brown and flavorful then I toss in a sticky, citrusy, slightly heat packed lemony honey sauce. Folks will either beg you for the recipe or beg you to make these lemon pepper wings time and time again. Either way, you will stay winning and have Popeye’s in a chokehold! Ain’t no thang but a chicken wang.

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I don’t play games when it comes to my lemon pepper wings. It’s a serious matter. I believe in creating flavor in every aspect of the process. There is that zest from the lemon, that bite from the pepper and a balanced sweetness from the honey that make these wings unreal. I love serving these up for game days and even the smallest occasions like Netflix and chill nights. Once you try these, you will see why I keep raving about them. No need to grab that Popeye’s any longer.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

For the Wings

• Seasoned Salt and Pepper: You can’t fry no chicken without these two basics. I use seasoned salt instead of regular for a bit more nuance and depth.
• Cayenne Pepper: This is gonna add a bit of heat. Feel free to adjust if you can’t stand too much.
• Lemon Pepper: The most important flavor ingredient in the mix.
• Garlic Powder and Paprika: This is gonna give that aromatic touch with a bit of smokiness.
• Flour and Cornstarch: The flour creates the base for our coating while the cornstarch amps up the crispy texture.
• Eggs and Hot Sauce: This will help bind the wings to our breading and also add a kick of flavor and spice to the mix.
• Party Wings: I love grabbing these because they are already broken down into segments so it takes away some of the extra work.
• Oil: Select a neutral oil like vegetable or canola so the flavors don’t compete and you get that nice golden brown color.

For the Lemon Pepper Wing Sauce

• Butter: We gotta have that richness. Grab unsalted for the sauce because we are going to hook it up!
• Black pepper: Just a pinch is gonna give us a classic kick.
• Lemon Pepper: This will provide the heat as well as the perfect citrus flavor.
• Honey: Just a little here is going to add a sweet pop and help the sauce stick to those wings for dear life.
• Lemon Juice: This will brighten the overall flavor of the sauce. Go with freshly squeezed boos.

How to Make Lemon Pepper Wings

Prep the Dry and Wet Ingredients for Dredging

1. Start by mixing up the dry ingredients. Add all the spices along with the cornstarch and flour to a bag and shake it up.
2. Then whisk up those eggs and hot sauce in a medium bowl.

Let’s Dredge and Fry!

1. Let’s get that chicken breaded up! Working with one chicken wing at a time, use tongs and add to the egg mixture thoroughly coating allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl.
2. Next add that wing into the flour and get it coated super well. Transfer to a wire rack or plate and let set.
3. Continue until all of the wings are done then let them chill out for about 15-20 minutes while you start heating the oil up to 350 degrees F.
4. When you get that oil good and ready, use tongs to gently and carefully add a few chicken wings to the oil. Make sure you don’t add too many and overcrowd. Don’t nobody want soggy fried chicken.
5. 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. 

Get that Lemon Pepper Wing Sauce Going

• 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.
• 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 while they are hot!

How to Serve Lemon Pepper Wet Wings

• Dip It Up: While these fried lemon pepper wings are all good on their own, try serving them up with additional dips like remoulade or chipotle bbq sauce.
• Game Day: These are perfect served along with other classic game day dishes like the best chili, guacamole and chips, cheesy garlic breadsticks, and corn dogs.
• Finger Food Buffet: These are so fantastic in a delish appetizer buffet. Serve along with fried pickles, fried shrimp, fried okra, and mozzarella sticks.
• Easy Spring Dinner: This is so fantastic with some squash casserole, corn fritters and cucumber and onion salad on the side.
• Comfort Food Supper: These lemon pepper wet wings are wonderful served along with Southern green beans, candied yams and fried cornbread.

Recipe Substitutions

• Lemon Pepper: You can actually make your own homemade version by mixing together equal parts black pepper and lemon zest.
• Cornstarch: If you don’t have this lying around, just use more flour. The lemon pepper wings will still fry up nicely.
• Eggs: No eggs around? Use some buttermilk instead. It will give a nice tangy flavor while also making sure that breading sticks to that chicken.
• Honey: You can replace the honey with maple syrup or agave nectar.
• Party Wings: You can turn these honey lemon pepper wings into any piece of the chicken you like from the breast to drumsticks. Do you boos!

Recipe Variations and Additions for Honey Lemon Pepper Wings

• Gluten Free: Simply replace that all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour instead, and you are good to go.
• Bake The Wings: Make this a little lighter by skipping the frying. Omit the flour in the recipe and just season the dried chicken with the spice ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and bake for 25-35 minutes or until crispy and cooked all the way through. Toss in the sauce and serve.
• Grill the Wings: Oil your grill rack, preheat to medium heat (about 350) and grill your wings for about 12 minutes on indirect heat. Turn your wings occasionally to help slowly render the fat and cook the flesh without burning. Then add to direct heat for a little to get a nice charred and crisp exterior. Toss the wings in the lemon pepper wet sauce and get down!
• Lime It Up: Swap out the lemon pepper for lime pepper and lemon juice for lime juice. That flavor will sing y’all!
• Sweet Tea: If you’ve never tried sweet tea fried chicken, you are in for a treat. Brine the chicken wings in sweet tea then follow the rest of the recipe as directed. That flavor will pop for reals.

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Oil Temp: Make sure that oil is at 350°F before you start frying. If the temperature is too low, those wings will be soggy boos. If it’s too high, the breading will burn before the chicken is even cooked through.
• Don’t Overcrowd: Fry in batches so you don’t lower the oil temperature and make the wings soggy.
• Internal Temp: Make sure your wings reach an internal temperature of 165°F for safety purposes. Just insert your meat thermometer into the thickest part of the wing to test them.
• Drain Properly: Don’t add those wings right into the sauce before draining all that oil. You can either drain directly on paper towels or on a wire rack placed over a paper towel lined baking sheet.
• Sauce Tip: The sauce will definitely make the lemon pepper wet wings a bit less crispy so either lightly sauce and serve right away or serve the sauce on the side as a dip.

How to Store Fried Lemon Pepper Wings

• Fridge: Make sure they are cooled to room temp then store the honey lemon pepper wings into airtight containers or zip-top bags and pop in the fridge. They should be good to go for about 3-4 days.
• Freezer: Store the exact same way for the freezer as you do for the fridge. It should last about 2-3 months frozen. Just remember to label with the date you stored them boos.
• Reheating: Avoid the microwave to keep those wings crunchy. Use the oven or the air fryer instead. In the oven, preheat to 375°F (190°C), spread wings on a baking sheet, and heat for 15-20 minutes. In the air fryer, set at 360°F (182°C) for 3-5 minutes. Done and Done!

Frequently Asked Questions

Favorite Wing Recipes

• Mango Jerk Wings
• Honey Jerk Wings
• Honey BBQ Wings
• Crispy Buffalo Wings