Baked Lemon Pepper Wings

These baked lemon pepper wings are really easy to make and don’t require a lot of ingredients. They are crispy, zesty, tangy and peppery. And though a lot of lemon pepper wings rely on lemon pepper seasoning, this recipe shows you how you can easily make lemon pepper sauce from scratch which leaves you with a fresher tasting end result.

Chicken wings are some of my favorite finger foods to make and to eat. They don’t take long, they can be quite versatile, and chances are I have all the ingredients in my kitchen already. I always bake my chicken wings because I believe it is just an easier process and wings have enough fat to get crispy on their own. But I also recently learned a trick for making chicken wings more crispy!

Add baking powder before baking. Baking powder helps dry out the skin on the wings allowing them to crisp and brown more easily. Actually I don’t know if that’s the real scientific explanation but just know that your chicken wings will be better. Make sure you pat your wings dry before adding the baking powder. Or better yet, place them on a rack and in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight to dry them out more so they are extra crispy. You can thank me later 😉

Baked Lemon Pepper Wings

The Wings

• 2 pounds wings
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

The Sauce

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 2 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• Black pepper to taste (preferably freshly cracked)
• Salt to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Grease a baking rack or sheet and set aside. Rinse chicken wings and pat dry with paper napkins. Place wings in a bowl then sprinkle with baking powder, garlic powder and salt. Toss until evenly coated then place wings on your greased rack or sheet at least an inch away from each other. Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Be sure to flip your wings over halfway into baking.

Meanwhile, in a bowl combine melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, black pepper and salt. Mix, taste and adjust seasoning if desired.

When chicken wings are ready, place them in a bowl and pour lemon mixture over them while they are still hot. Toss until completely coated. Serve with a sauce of your choice and enjoy!