Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

Lemon pepper chicken wings are perfect for game day, party day, or dinnertime appetizers! The flavorful lemon pepper seasoning with crispy fried wings makes for the ultimate wing experience.

Table of Contents

1. Homemade Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
2. Ingredients for Homemade Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
3. How to Make Fried Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
4. Baked & Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
5. Tips for the Best Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
6. More Tasty Chicken Wing Recipes to Try
7. Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings Recipe

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When you’re deep into football season, you’re definitely going to need a few easy appetizer recipes on hand. Don’t worry, Cousins – I got you covered! I’m sharing a recipe for crispy lemon pepper chicken wings in this post. These flavorful, juicy chicken wings are simply amazing. They’re zesty, crispy, and unbelievably moist. Best of all, I will be using a very few simple ingredients – most of which you probably already have on hand!

Homemade Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

So, first things first: This chicken wing recipe isn’t like most lemon pepper chicken wings. These are dry wings, meaning instead of using lemon pepper sauce, we’re battering the wings with a seasoned flour mixture before frying. I deep fry the chicken wings in corn oil, but you can use another vegetable oil like canola oil or peanut oil (just make sure it’s a high smoke-point oil suitable for frying!)

This recipe makes the perfect crispy wing! They’re the perfect appetizer for the big game (we love game day appetizers in this house!) and are crazy simple to make. I love serving lemon pepper wings with a tasty dipping sauce – ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or even hot sauce go great with these wings! Dress up your platter with lemon wedges and veggie sticks for the perfect appetizer display. Let’s get on into the recipe!

Ingredients for Homemade Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

The best part about this recipe is that you only need a few ingredients! If you don’t already have them on hand, a quick trip to the grocery store will get you everything you need in minutes.

• Chicken Wings: I use just the flats of the wing in this recipe, but you can certainly get whole chicken wings and break them down on your own.
• Lemon Juice: helps to brine the chicken wings with that zesty lemon flavor. I prefer to use fresh lemon juice.
• Old Bay Seasoning: if you don’t have classic Old Bay, go ahead and use your favorite seasoning salt.
• Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: I use both to season the chicken wings and the flour mixture. We season every layer of this dish, honey!
• Lemon Pepper: the star of the show! You can use your favorite brand, but y’all know I prefer my very own Rosamae Seasonings lemon pepper!
• All-Purpose Flour: the seasoned flour gives these wings that extra crispy skin on the outside.
• Dried Parsley Flakes: totally optional; y’all know I love to add my parsley for some color.
• Oil: you’ll need enough oil to fry the wings – at least 3-4 cups, and a deep enough skillet or pot.

What is lemon pepper seasoning made of?

Most lemon pepper seasonings are a simple mix of salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Some recipes (like mine) have additional seasonings like garlic and onion for more flavor. Did you know you can make your very own homemade lemon pepper seasoning? All you need is fresh lemon zest and your other preferred seasonings. Let the mixture sit out for up to 24 hours for the lemon zest to dry out; store in an airtight container, and you’ve got your very own lemon pepper seasoning any time you need it.

Can I use lemon juice and pepper instead of lemon pepper seasoning?

In a pinch, lemon juice and black pepper is a simple way to get that lemon pepper flavor. However, if you have (fresh) lemon juice, pepper, and salt, you already have lemon pepper seasoning! So, either way, you’ll get the best lemon pepper chicken wings with maximum zesty flavor.

How to Make Fried Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

Alright, Cousins, let’s get to the good stuff – how to make these crispy lemon pepper wings! Now, remember that this recipe is for fried chicken wings, so, of course, I will tell you how to deep-fry these crispy wings to golden brown perfection. But because I love y’all, I’m also going to share how to bake and air fry them as well, so you can have delicious crispy lemon pepper wings no matter how you decide to cook them.

First, Prep the Wings

The first step is packing those chicken wings with a whole bunch of flavor. Add your washed and dried chicken wings in a large bowl (I like to rinse them with cold water, then pat dry with a paper towel). Add the lemon juice, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well until the wings are completely coated in that flavorful liquid, then set them aside.

Next, you will prepare the seasoned flour mixture by combining all-purpose flour, lemon pepper seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried parsley flakes. Pro-Tip: make sure to double-check the ingredients of your lemon pepper seasoning! If it includes onion and garlic powder, you don’t have to add those seasonings. Some lemon peppers can also be pretty salty, so make sure you taste the seasoning for flavor.

Toss the wings in the seasoned flour mixture, making sure each wing is well-coated with the flour. Shake off any excess flour; then you’re ready to fry.

Next, Fry the Lemon Pepper Wings

Heat your oil in a pot, skillet, or deep fryer to 360 degrees F. Once the wings are coated in flour, drop them into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Depending on the size of your wings, this should take about 7-10 minutes. Remove the wings from the oil and place them on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.

Baked & Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings

For baked lemon pepper wings, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare the chicken wings the same way. When ready to bake, line the chicken wings in a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Spray the pan and the wings with a nonstick cooking spray (yes – spray the wings! This will give them that fried texture while they bake). Bake the wings in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time.

For air fryer lemon pepper chicken wings, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F, and prepare the chicken wings the same way. Place the chicken wings in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry the wings for 10 minutes, flip, then fry for another 10 minutes until crispy.

For all cooking methods, the chicken wings should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees! The best way to test the temperature of your cooked wings is with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat (but not touching the bone).

Tips for the Best Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

• Fresh chicken wings are best, but if frozen is all you have, thaw the wings completely before cooking for best results.
• Want even more lemon pepper flavor? Make a lemon pepper butter sauce with unsalted butter, lemon pepper seasoning, and fresh lemon juice. Use as a dipping sauce, or toss the wings in the sauce.
• Lemon pepper chicken wings will last 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
• The best way to heat up leftovers is in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.
• If you love lemon pepper wings but don’t have them or just aren’t feeling the wings vibe, you can use this recipe with any cut of chicken. Lemon pepper chicken thighs or drumsticks sound like a perfect dinner to me!

Lemon pepper chicken wings are the perfect appetizer and don’t need to be paired with anything else to impress. But if you’re putting out the ultimate appetizer spread, serve these tasty wings with dipping sauce, a veggie tray, or other game day appetizers, like:

• Nacho Layer Dip Cups
• Pepperoni Pull-Apart Pizza Bread
• Italian Pinwheels (Finger Sandwiches)
• Easy Delicious Guacamole
• Better than Applebee’s Chicken Wonton Tacos

More Tasty Chicken Wing Recipes to Try

• Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
• Garlic & Onion Chicken Wings
• Cilantro Lime Chicken Wings
• Honey Chipotle Chicken Wings
• Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings
• Pepsi Chicken Wings

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Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings Recipe

These zesty Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings are fried to golden perfection, crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. They are a scrumptious snack to feed your game-day guests!

Watch Video Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Southern

Keyword chicken wings, fried chicken wings, Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken wings
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp lemon pepper
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes optional
• 4 cups neutral oil for frying

Instructions

• Pour the lemon juice over the chicken wings, then season the chicken with 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning, 1 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp of onion powder. Use your hands to toss the chicken, and make sure it is well coated with the seasonings.
  1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 lbs chicken wings
• In a separate bowl, add 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp of lemon pepper, and 1 tsp parsley flakes. Use your hands or a utensil to make sure that the seasonings are well combined with the flour.
  2 tsp lemon pepper, 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• Coat the chicken wings with the seasoned flour.
• In your deep fryer or pan, pour in the vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 350-360 F.
  4 cups neutral oil for frying
• Place the chicken into the hot oil, and fry until it’s golden (make sure it’s done by piercing the chicken down to the bone with a small knife or fork. If no blood is visible, the chicken is done).
• Place the chicken on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet or plate for two minutes to drain the excess oil.
• Serve.

Video

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Recipe by: I Heart Recipes