This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy for additional information.

Why You’ll Love My Recipe

Lemon Pepper Wings are a classic for a reason! They’re bright, bold, and almost impossible to stop eating. These wings are often found at the best wing spots, but they’re surprisingly easy to make at home. Plus, this recipe includes instructions for a homemade lemon pepper seasoning blend, so every bite is packed with zesty, peppery goodness!

If you end up with extra lemon pepper seasoning, try using it to make my Lemon Pepper Chicken the next day. Or, if you’re in the mood for another classic wing recipe, don’t miss my Honey BBQ Wings – a game-day favorite made fresh at home!

A tray of baked chicken wings on parchment paper, surrounded by halved lemons, salt and pepper shakers, a jar of salt, plates, and a striped napkin on a white marble surface.

Karlynn’s Recipe Notes

Skill Level: This recipe is so easy to make, you might think twice before heading to your local sports bar!
Total Time: You’ll have two dozen hot and crispy wings on the table in 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Variations: These Lemon Pepper Wings are already packed with flavor, but you can easily add extra seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, or cayenne for more heat. For a spicy twist, toss the wings in Frank’s RedHot before serving or cool them down in my Homemade Ranch Dressing. Serve your wings with Air Fryer Potato Wedges and my Classic Homemade Coleslaw Recipe for the perfect party spread!
Tools For This Recipe: You will need a large mixing bowl for coating your wings, a wire rack for maximum crispiness, and a large baking sheet to make these wings.

Three fried chicken wings are stacked on a plate, garnished with a lemon wedge. More wings are on a tray in the background, with jars of spices, lemon halves, and bottles on a white countertop.

What You’ll Need for Ingredients

Chicken Wings: Break whole chicken wings down into drumettes and flats for easy bite-sized pieces. Be sure to trim off the wing tips, as they don’t have much meat. Karlynn’s Tip: Use a sharp knife and cut right through the joint for easy separation. Then, save the wing tips in a freezer bag to use later for homemade chicken stock!

Baking Powder: A little bit of baking powder helps these wings bake up beautifully in the oven. When paired with a wire rack, the fat renders and drips away, giving the wings a crispy finish without deep frying. Karlynn’s Tip: Ensure you’re using baking powder, not baking soda, for the best results.

Raw chicken wings are arranged on parchment paper. Surrounding them are bowls of salt, seasoning, cornstarch, melted butter, and two halved lemons on a white marble countertop.

Butter: Melted butter is used to toss the wings after they’re cooked, helping the lemon pepper seasoning cling to every bite!

Lemon Pepper Seasoning: Lemon pepper seasoning gives these wings their signature zesty, bold flavor. Karlynn’s Tip: Store-bought seasoning works great, but making your own lets you control the lemon-to-pepper ratio and adjust the salt to your taste.

How To Make Lemon Pepper Wings

This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

A glass bowl with raw chicken wings coated in flour sits on a marble surface, surrounded by lemon halves, melted butter, seasoning, salt, kitchen tongs, a baking rack, and a striped towel.

A baking tray lined with a wire rack holds rows of raw chicken wings. Lemon halves, a bowl of melted butter, and seasonings are arranged around the tray on a marble countertop. A blue-striped towel is partially visible.

Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and sprinkle the baking powder over them, tossing to coat as evenly as possible. Add the salt and toss again until the wings are fully coated.
Arrange the wings on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, leaving space between each piece to avoid overcrowding.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the wings are golden brown, crispy, and cooked to a safe internal temperature of 160°F.
In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and lemon pepper seasoning. Drizzle the mixture over the hot wings and toss gently until evenly coated.

A stack of white plates with seasoned baked chicken wings garnished with lemon wedges. In the background are spices, glass jars, a sliced lemon, and more chicken wings on a tray lined with parchment paper.

Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Lemon Pepper Wings

Skip the Fryer: Deep-fried wings might be the local pub standard, but baking your wings with a touch of baking powder on a wire rack delivers that same crave-worthy crunch – no oil required! For the best texture, wait until just before serving to toss the wings in butter and seasoning.
Make Your Own Lemon Pepper: Store-bought lemon pepper is convenient and easy to find, but making it from scratch brings an unbeatable flavor! For a simple homemade blend, zest several lemons, then dehydrate the zest in your oven at the lowest temperature (or use a dehydrator or air fryer with a dehydrator setting). Mix the dried zest with freshly ground black pepper in a 1:1 ratio, then add garlic powder and salt to taste. It’s the perfect seasoning for these wings and so much more!

A wooden tray lined with parchment paper holds crispy baked chicken wings garnished with lemon wedges. In the background are jars of spices, a wooden spoon, and a half-cut lemon.

Storage Instructions

These Lemon Pepper Wings store beautifully, making them a great option for meal prep or easy leftovers!

Refrigerator: Store cooled wings in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the fridge for 3-4 days. They’ll stay tender, flavorful, and crisp up perfectly in the oven or air fryer.

Freezer: Once fully cooled, cooked wings can be placed in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months, following USDA food safety guidelines. I personally prefer freezing wings before they’re cooked, so if you’re in prep-ahead mode, buy chicken wings in bulk, break them down into drumettes and flats, and freeze them in zip-top bags for up to 9 months. It’s a great way to take advantage of sales, and portioning them into small batches makes it easy to whip up fresh wings whenever a craving hits!

More Delicious Chicken Wing Recipes

If these Lemon Pepper Wings were a hit, here are a few more Chicken Wing recipes that I think you’ll love:

Looking for a sweet and spicy bite? Try my Detroit Honey Hot Wings!
My Amazing Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings keep things simple, crispy, and full of Asian-inspired flavor.
Give my Baked Honey Sesame Chicken Wings when you’re craving something sticky, savory, and downright irresistible.

When it comes to finger foods, Lemon Pepper Wings are hard to beat! Baking them in the oven keeps things simple, but delivers the same crave-worthy flavor you’d expect from your favorite wing spot.

Make a batch, grab a napkin (or two), and don’t forget to leave a comment to share how your wings turned out!

Happy Cooking!

Karlynn