These lemon pepper wings are baked until crispy then basted with lemon pepper seasoning and melted butter. They’re an easy appetizer or dinner that’s as good or better as you can get in a restaurant!
My dad proclaims these these homemade lemon pepper wings to be the “best lemon pepper wings he’s ever had”. I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve made this lemon pepper wings recipe. I’m a Packers fan I love to make this perfect game day appetizer on a football Sunday.
If you love the lemon pepper flavor and crispy oven baked chicken wings, these are the baked lemon pepper wings for you! They’re just like fried chicken wings, with all the flavor but without the mess, extra steps and they’re healthier way to enjoy chicken wings.
What is lemon pepper seasoning made of?
Most lemon pepper seasoning has dried lemon zest, pepper, and salt. Store-bought lemon pepper can contain more than that, so be sure to check the label.
If you want to make your own lemon pepper seasoning, you can use the homemade lemon pepper seasoning recipe from my Weeknight Keto cookbook and you don’t even have to buy the book to get it! (Note: the recipe isn’t keto-specific, it just happens to be keto, just like these wings!)
How to make lemon pepper wings in the oven?
This lemon pepper wings recipe is so simple you won’t believe it once you taste them! Just toss your chicken wings with some vegetable or canola oil. Avocado oil is another great one to use because it has a high smoke point.
Bake them in a single layer on a baking sheet and a wire rack for around 45-60 minutes cook time or until they’re super crispy. The oil and high heat are the secret to making them as crispy as fried (there’s no need to add baking powder or anything extra). Then just brush on an easy lemon pepper wing sauce (a mixture of melted butter and lemon pepper seasoning) and serve ’em up!
How to make lemon pepper wings in an air fryer
To make air fryer lemon pepper wings, you’ll skip the oven and reduce the oil to 1 tbsp per pound of wings. Air fry the wings for approximately 15 minutes, turning the wings once during the air frying process. Avocado, canola, or olive oil will all work.
If your air fryer basket is large enough to hold two pounds of chicken wings, increase the baking time by 3-5 minutes.
Once your wings are done, toss them in the lemon-pepper and butter mixture as directed in the recipe. You’ll have the best air fryer lemon pepper wings you’ve ever tried!
How many calories are in lemon pepper wings?
I’ve included all the nutritional information below, but for your reference, Baked Lemon Pepper Wings have roughly 776 calories per serving. Compare these baked wings to fried, which has about 1100 calories per serving.
Are these lemon pepper wings Keto?
At the time I created this recipe, I didn’t even know what the Keto diet is, let alone that these are, in fact, Keto Lemon Pepper Wings. None of the ingredients used have any carbs, so you can enjoy these all day long and not have to give a second thought to carb counts!
Most lemon pepper seasoning that you buy will be very low in carbs or not have any carbs at all, making it a great choice for keto. You’ll want to check the nutrition label to be sure. You can also make my homemade lemon pepper seasoning that’s keto and much better than anything you can buy.
Tips for making the best lemon pepper wings ever!
- Don’t use too much oil Use just enough oil to coat the wings but don’t drench them. They only need a light coating to help them get nice and crispy. Excess oil can also cause your oven to smoke.
- Don’t wash your chicken first Although many people disagree with me, there is a lot of evidence that shows you not only don’t need to wash your chicken wings first, but it could cause more harm than good. There are many articles written on the topic, so head to Google if you’re interested in learning more.
- Don’t pre-season your wings You don’t need to season your wings before baking them. Normally, I would never skip this step, but lemon pepper seasoning typically has plenty of salt. Pre-seasoning your chicken wings could result in them being too salty. If you’re using a low-salt lemon pepper seasoning, then go ahead and pre-season them in that case.
- Plate first, then baste Place the oven-baked wings on your serving platter before basting them with the lemon pepper sauce. That way you won’t lose any that happens to drip down.
- Use this baking method with other seasonings and wing sauces The method for baking chicken wings this way can be used with any number of other flavors. Buffalo chicken wings, Teriyaki, Spicy Balsamic & Honey, or even Korean chicken wings are all delicious. Or just substitute the lemon pepper seasoning for your favorite spice mix! This makes it easy to serve several different flavors at once for a family dinner or at a party.
- Use this baking method with other types of chicken You can also use this method with chicken thighs or drumsticks. I’ve made four different flavors at one time using chicken thighs, potatoes, and asparagus all on the same sheet pan for an easy one-pan meal!
- These lemon pepper wings are perfect as-is. But for a twist, add a little garlic powder or hot sauce to the lemon pepper sauce before basting. And if you really love lemon, you can give them a squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving.
These air fryer or oven-baked lemon pepper chicken wings are on my permanent and frequent go-to recipe list. I know they’ll be on yours, too, as soon as you try just one!
Crispy Baked Lemon Pepper Wings
This is the most popular recipe on this site and it couldn't be easier! Be sure to watch the video at the top of the post for visual directions if you have questions.
Ingredients
- 4 lb chicken wings
- 1/4 cup avocado oil (can also use canola)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons lemon-pepper seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Toss chicken wings and oil. Place wings on a wire rack set on a baking sheet, taking care not to crowd wings. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- Remove wings from the oven. Mix melted butter and lemon-pepper seasoning and brush liberally onto wings (stir butter mixture as you go to make sure you have plenty of seasoning for each wing).
- Place on a platter and serve immediately.
Notes
Be sure your sheet pan has sides to catch the grease! If you use a flat pan that has no sides, the grease will drip onto the bottom of your oven and cause it to smoke.
Use this homemade lemon pepper seasoning recipe or store bought.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8Amount Per Serving: Calories: 776Total Fat: 68gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 219mgSodium: 280mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 1gProtein: 45g
Looking for more chicken wing recipes?
- Teriyaki Chicken Wings
- Korean Chicken Wings
- How to Bake Chicken Wings
- Spicy Balsamic & Honey Chicken Wings
- Buffalo Wings
Have leftovers? Learn how to reheat wings quickly and easily.
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Jen
Saturday 25th of May 2024
Have you used this seasoning on other cuts of chicken, like breast or thighs? Wings are too much work for too little meat...haha!
Monique McArthur
Thursday 30th of May 2024
Hi, Yes. Tastes great on any cut of chicken!
Natasha
Saturday 7th of October 2023
I made chicken wings using your method twice now. My family loved it! The only thing I changed was use melted duck fat instead of oil. Previously my wings always set the fire alarms off until I learned that I was using too much oil/fat and I needed to add the seasoning after baking! Now my house is smoke free. I toss some of the wings in bbq or Buffalo sauce and the rest in the lemon pepper butter. Everyone’s happy. Thank you!
Debbie
Monday 26th of June 2023
I make these whenever Chicken wings are a request in our house! They’re in the oven right now! They are a huge family favorite and I’ve passed it on to many! The ingredient list shows regular butter…glad I saw your comment that you use “unsalted ” butter. I’ll try it next time. Thank you! We love it!
Evita Brundidge
Sunday 23rd of January 2022
Making them right now. So far no smoking of the oven. I do hear the popping others spoke of but I did buy/use an wire rack. The only question I have is, there were no instructions on basting the other side of the chicken, should I flip it over on the wire wack and baste the other side with the sauce or should I shake them up in a bowl like the fast food wing places do?
Bal
Friday 23rd of July 2021
Hi Kristy, great recipe! The skin on the wings seems to stick to the foil (I do place foil on a cookie sheet), and do coat the wings in olive oil. Any suggestions? Thank you!
Kristy Bernardo
Friday 13th of August 2021
Hi Bal and thanks! I don't use foil but maybe you could spray the foil in addition to coating the wings with oil? Let me know if you've found a solution or if this works for you. Cheers :)