The BEST Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings! (VIDEO)
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Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings are fried until crispy and tossed in a buttery, lemon-pepper sauce (that’s extra bright from fresh lemon zest) that will have your friends and family asking for more!
Watch the Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings Recipe Video!
A Note from CJ
These are the best Lemon Pepper Wings!
I love how crispy these wings are and when tossed in that bright Lemon Pepper sauce? Unbelieveably good! If you prefer your wings to stay crispy for longer, I actually recommend brushing the sauce on (rather than tossing or pouring the sauce)!
If you love wings as much as I do, try my Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Baked Chicken Wings, Chinese Salt and Pepper Wings, Gochujang Honey Wings, Grilled Wings, Buffalo Wings (or Air Fryer Buffalo Wings)!
I love lemon pepper wings and this was so easy to recreate!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- chicken wings – use drums, flats, or a combination of the two. If using frozen wings, make sure they are defrosted before seasoning and dredging.
- lemon pepper seasoning – if using store bought lemon pepper seasoning, make sure to check the label for added salt. If there is salt, skip the salt in this recipe!
- all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder – I like to do a mix of flour and starches for the perfect balance of crispy, crunchy, and golden brown. Flour is the base of your dredge. Cornstarch, when mixed with flour, helps prevent gluten development. Baking powder helps creates tiny air bubbles and also dries out the skin, which makes it extra crispy!
- lemon zest and lemon juice – this helps add a bright lemon flavor to the sauce
How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Season and Dredge the Wings – Season the chicken wings with lemon pepper seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, yellow mustard, and an egg, adding kosher salt only if your lemon pepper is salt-free. Mix well and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight for maximum. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, lemon pepper seasoning, and baking powder to create the seasoning mix. Dredge each wing thoroughly, pressing the coating in with your hands to help it stick, and repeat until all wings are evenly coated.
Fry The Wings and Make The Lemon Pepper Sauce – Heat oil to 350°F and fry the wings in batches for 10–12 minutes until golden, crispy, and cooked to 165°F, keeping the oil above 325°F to maintain crispiness. Drain on a wire rack. In a small saucepan, melt butter and whisk in lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, honey, and parsley, skimming milk solids if desired. Toss the hot wings in the lemon pepper sauce or brush it on generously, then serve immediately.
PRO TIPS
CJ’s Recipe & Storage Tips
Monitor the Oil Temperature – I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see the temperature dropping below 325F, fry the chicken wings in batches. Frying at a low temperature will result in soggy and oily wings.
Strain Excess Batter Pieces Before Second Fry – If excess batter pieces are floating in the oil, strain them out with a strainer to prevent them from burning during the 2nd fry.
Storage and Reheating – Any leftover Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. My preferred method to reheat the Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings is in the air fryer! Air fry them at 350°F for 6-8 minutes until warmed through and crispy. You can also reheat them in the oven at 375°F for 15-20 minutes.
If you tried this Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings (VIDEO)
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning, add 1tsp of kosher salt if your lemon pepper seasoning does not contain salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 egg
Seasoning Mix
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ½ tbsp lemon pepper seasoning, add 1tsp of kosher salt if your lemon pepper seasoning does not contain salt
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder
Lemon Pepper Sauce
- 12 tbsp butter
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- ½ tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt, only add if Lemon Pepper Seasoning does not contain salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp parsley
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the chicken wings and season with lemon pepper seasoning (see note about salt), paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, yellow mustard and egg. If your lemon pepper seasoning is salt-free, add 1 tsp of kosher salt. Mix until combined and marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- In a large mixing bowl, make the Seasoning Mix by combining flour, cornstarch, lemon pepper seasoning (see note about salt), and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
- Dredge the marinated chicken in the seasoning mix, ensuring all parts of the wing is coated in the seasoning dredge. Use your hand to pack in the dredge to help it stick to the wings. Repeat until all wings are coated in the seasoning mixture.
- Line a tray with a wire rack. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot to 350F over medium high heat, then fry half of the chicken wings for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and crispy and the internal temperature is 165F. Drain the wings on the wire rack and repeat with the remaining wings. Ensure that the oil temperature does not drop below 325F during frying (do not overcrowd the oil).
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, honey, and parsley and whisk to combine. If desired, skim off the milk solids with a spoon prior to adding to the wings.
- Add the sauce in a bowl with the wings and toss to coat, or brush the sauce over the wings as desired. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Lemon Pepper Wings recipe was originally published in April 2024, and updated in December 2025.
I was wondering if these can also be baked in the oven.
Hi Ellen! I’d follow my crispy baked chicken wing recipe on the site and season with additional lemon pepper! Hope that helps!
Came out delicious!!
I just found you yesterday! I made these lemon pepper chicken wings and BBBBBBBBBBABEEEE!? THEY had my family of 3 using our fingers and frys wiping up the dreemings from the lemon pepper. My husband has already asked if I felt like I could eat them again today! Thank you sooo much, there’s so much here we wanna try.
I loved this recipe and it’s a go to when frying!!
Awesome recipe perfect while watching some football!
I love lemon pepper wings and this was so easy to recreate
A recipe that shines.