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These lemon pepper chicken wings are even better than the classics, because they’re made with a sticky, buttery honey sauce! The wings are always crispy, and you can make them in the oven or an air fryer, depending on what you like best. If you’re as obsessed with lemon pepper seasoning as I am, you need to make this easy appetizer!

A beige platter of honey lemon pepper wings on an orange stone counter next to a yellow linen, lemon slices, and brown bowls of pepper, honey, and lemon seasoning.

This past weekend, I had two big realizations. First off, spring is slowly creeping in, which means it’s time to start making all the lemon recipes. And second, that I need to figure out what I’m making for Easter cause it’s just around the corner, and I already invited a bunch of people over lol.

I know that wings don’t seem like a classic Easter recipe, and I guess they’re really not. But we typically keep things super casual over here, and since I have a roller derby event that weekend, I need something I can prep in advance.

Of course, these wings are good for anything from the Super Bowl to casual parties with friends. And just like my hot honey buffalo wings and crispy dry rub chicken wings, you can make them in the oven or air fryer. The sauce is also pretty similar to the recipe for my “famous” garlic butter chicken wings, but we’ll replace the garlic with a nice drizzle of honey instead!

And of course, you’ll need baking powder. ICYMI, baking powder is key for crispy oven or air fryer wings. It’s a secret trick I learned when I was in culinary school, and I never make wings without it!

Use good lemon pepper seasoning

Brown and white bowls of chicken, honey, spices, and butter next to a pepper grinder and lemons.

Something I’ve learned after making this recipe dozens of times is that not all lemon pepper seasonings are created equally. Some have more flavor than others, but overall, you want to use something with actual lemon zest. (Not just lemon flavoring.)

The brand I use is Scott’s. But if you have another favorite, let me know, I’m always open to trying others!

Bake the wings

A white bowl of chicken and seasonings on an orange marble counter.
Toss the wings with the baking powder and spices.
Rows of raw chicken wings on a wire rack.
Grease a wire rack super well, and place the wings on top.
Rows of baked chicken wings on a wire rack.
Bake the wings at 425°F (218°C) for 40-45 minutes.
A hand using a whisk to mix lemon honey sauce in a white bowl.
Then, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients.
A white bowl of lemon pepper honey wings.
Toss the baked wings and half the sauce. Add more to taste.
Lemon pepper honey wings topped with lemon slices, next to a white bowl of sauce.
Finish the wings with more pepper and a bit of lemon zest.

Start out by using half of the sauce, because this recipe makes a lot! Then, if you want more, you can add more to taste or serve it on the side. (Honestly, I like lots of sauce, but I know that’s not everyone’s vibe!)

Air fryer directions

Seasoned wings in an air fryer.
Place the wings in the air fryer basket. Work in batches if you have a small air fryer like me!
Lemon pepper honey wings in an air fryer basket.
Then, fry the wings at 375°F (190°C) for about 18 minutes. Flip them halfway for even cooking.
A white platter of lemon pepper honey wings and a bowl of sauce on an orange marble counter next to lemons, a yellow linen, and brown bowls of spices, honey, and pepper.

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Easy Lemon Pepper Honey Wings

Yield: 24 wings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
These lemon pepper honey wings are sweet, savory, and zesty thanks to a good dose of lemon pepper seasoning! You can make the wings in the oven or air fryer, but either way, they come out crispy every time. Save this appetizer recipe for holidays, casual parties, and game day!
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Ingredients

Chicken Wings

  • 2 pounds party chicken wings (900 grams)
  • 1 Tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder, NOT baking soda! (15 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1-2 pinches cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, or to taste
  • Neutral oil or cooking spray I use avocado oil

Lemon Pepper Honey Sauce

  • 1/4 cup good-quality unsalted butter, melted (60 grams)
  • 1/4 cup honey (85 milliliters)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15 milliliters)
  • 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Lemon zest, for garnish, optional
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • 1-2 sheet pans
  • Parchment paper or tin foil
  • Wire rack

Instructions 

Prep the wings

  • Dry the wings very well with paper towels. You want them to be as dry as possible so the wings get crispy! (Alternatively, you can dry them out in the fridge overnight. See the Recipe Notes for details.)
  • Place the wings in a large mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon pepper seasoning, and black pepper. Toss to combine.

Oven-Baked Wings

  • To bake the wings, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil. Then, place an oven-safe wire rack on the prepared sheet pan. Grease it super well with neutral oil or cooking spray, or the wings will stick.
  • Place the wings skin-side up in a single layer on the wire rack. It's ok if they're touching a bit on the sides, they will shrink as they cook.
  • Bake the wings for 25 minutes. Then, flip the wings and bake them for another 15-20 minutes until they are crispy on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Remove the wings from the oven and let them sit for about 5 minutes to crisp up more.

Air Fryer Wings

  • To air fry the wings, grease the basket of an air fryer with neutral oil or cooking spray. Place the wings skin-side up in a single layer in the air fryer basket. It's ok if they're touching a bit on the sides.
  • Fry the wings at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes. Then, flip the wings and fry them for 6-8 more minutes until they're crispy on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Let the wings rest for 5 minutes to help them crisp up more.

Lemon Pepper Honey Sauce

  • While the wings are cooking, combine the melted butter, honey, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
  • Once the wings have rested for about 5 minutes, transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle half of the sauce over the wings and use tongs to toss the wings until they're evenly coated. Add more sauce, to taste, or serve the extra sauce on the side. Garnish the wings with more black pepper, lemon zest, and/or parsley and enjoy!

Notes

You want to use party wings in this recipe, which are chicken wings that have been broken down into drums and flats. You can also buy full wings and break them down yourself.
Use a good-quality lemon pepper seasoning made with real lemon zest. I use Scott’s. Also, make sure to taste the wings before adding salt, because most seasonings already have salt in them!
If you like extra spice, feel free to use hot honey instead of regular.
Dry all sides of the wings really well. You want them to be as dry as possible so they crisp up instead of steaming. If you have time, you can also dry the wings on a wire rack overnight in the fridge. Place the wire rack on a sheet pan to prevent cross contamination and leave the wings uncovered so they dry out.
The secret to crispy baked wings is baking powder. Make sure you’re using fresh, aluminum-free baking powder, not baking soda! Otherwise, the wings will come out with a bitter, metallic aftertaste.
For extra crispy wings, broil them for 1-2 minutes. Just don’t broil them for too long, or the wings will dry out.
2 pounds of wings is about 24-28 wings, depending on the size of the wings.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1wing, Calories: 76kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 69mg, Potassium: 46mg, Sugar: 3g, Calcium: 35mg
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