Sticky + Crispy Lemon Pepper Honey Wings

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!

Author: Sunday Table

Meal Type: Eggs Free

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 24 wings

Calories: 86 kcal per serving

Ingredients

2 pounds - party chicken wings
1 tbsp - aluminum-free baking powder
2 teaspoons - garlic powder
2 teaspoons - onion powder
1 tsp - smoked paprika
1 pinch - cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons - lemon pepper seasoning
½ tsp - black pepper
neutral oil
¼ cup - good-quality unsalted butter
¼ cup - honey
1 tbsp - fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons - lemon pepper seasoning
black pepper
lemon zest
fresh parsley

Instructions

Dry the wings very well with paper towels. You want them to be as dry as possible so the wings get crispy!
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.
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.
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.
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!

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