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These Crispy Lemon Pepper Wings are oven-baked, deeply seasoned, and finished with a lemony butter sauce that clings to every crispy edge. No frying required, and the whole process is straightforward enough for game day or a casual get-together. I serve them with ice-cold cheladas and it’s the perfect match.
Lemon pepper wings are definitely my go-to Wingstop order. The bright lemon flavor with plenty of black pepper and a buttery sauce is hands down the best flavor combo. This recipe skips the deep frying (yay!) and keeps things simple with oven-baked wings that turn out crisp and golden, plus an optional air-fryer method. These lemon pepper wings are great for feeding a crowd and pair easily with the best caesar salad or beer-battered onion rings.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Lemon Pepper Wings
Party wings – Pre-cut chicken wings cook evenly and are easy to serve, making them ideal for entertaining.
Lemon zest – Fresh zest provides a bright citrus flavor that defines the seasoning and butter sauce.
Black pepper – This adds heat and balance, giving the wings their signature kick.
Baking powder – This is the key to drying the chicken skin and promotes crisping in the oven.
Unsalted butter – Melted with lemon pepper seasoning, it creates a rich sauce that coats the wings without weighing them down.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Lemon Pepper Wings
Zest your lemons. Then, preheat the oven to 425°F and set a baking rack inside a lined sheet pan. Lightly oil the rack to prevent sticking. Pulse the panko in a food processor until finely ground, similar to grated parmesan. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine lemon zest, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt, rubbing the zest into the spices to release its oils. Reserve some seasoning for the butter sauce.
Mix the remaining seasoning with baking powder and the ground panko. Pat the wings very dry, then press the mixture evenly onto all sides.
Arrange the wings on the rack and bake for 20 minutes. Flip, then bake for another 25 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp.
Make the buttermilk ranch by combining all of the ingredients in a jar or small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the lemon pepper butter sauce by melting the butter with the reserved seasoning. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.
Strain the sauce if desired.
Pour the sauce over the wings and toss to coat.
Serve wings with buttermilk ranch and sprinkled with chopped herbs.
Quick Tips for the Best Lemon Pepper Wings
Dry the wings thoroughly. Moisture is the enemy of crisp skin, so take a minute to blot them well with paper towels.
Use a rack if possible. Elevating the wings allows hot air to circulate, helping them brown evenly.
Make the seasoning ahead. The lemon pepper mix can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Use freshly cracked black pepper. It has a brighter aroma and sharper heat than pre-ground pepper.
Air-fryer friendly. Cook at 400°F in batches to avoid overcrowding, which can prevent crisping.
Strain the butter sauce if needed. Removing the zest creates a smoother sauce, but it’s optional based on preference.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Reheating: Reheat on a baking rack in a 400°F oven until hot and crisp, about 10–12 minutes. Avoid the microwave to preserve texture.
Make-ahead: The lemon pepper seasoning and buttermilk ranch can be prepared up to two days in advance and refrigerated.
Storage: Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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Lemon Pepper Butter Sauce:
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing:
Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil and a fit with a baking rack. Spray or brush the baking rack with oil, this helps prevent the wings from sticking.
In a food processor, pulse the panko for about 10 seconds until it resembles grated parmesan and set aside. (Alternatively, you can place the panko in a ziploc bag, lay it flat and grind it with a rolling pin.)
Now, make the lemon pepper seasoning. In a small bowl, mix together the lemon zest, black pepper, garlic powder, and salt until combined. Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the seasoning mixture to release the oils.
Scoop out about half of the lemon pepper seasoning, put it in a small pot and set aside for the butter sauce later. To the rest of the seasoning in the bowl, add the baking powder and ground panko and mix until combine.
Next, use paper towels to pat the wings dry. We don’t want any excess moisture that will make the wings soggy.
Sprinkle the baking powder mixture over wings and use your hands to pat the mixture onto the wings.
Place wings on prepared sheet trays, being mindful not to overcrowd them. (Do not spray them with oil this actually may make them soggy.) Bake for 20 minutes then flip and bake for another 25 minutes. They should be golden brown and crispy but still tender.
Meanwhile, make the buttermilk ranch. In a small bowl or jar, add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream or creme fraiche, lemon juice, onion powder, salt, black pepper, chives, parsley, and dill. Mix until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Now, make the butter sauce. Add the butter to the small saucepan with the rest of the dry seasoning to steep and flavor the butter. Melt over low heat and whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to bubble up a bit and become fragrant, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes, then remove it from the heat and add the lemon juice.
Then use a fine strainer to strain the butter to remove the chunky zest. This step is optional. If you want to keep the bits of flavor in there, you can skip straining.
Once wings are done, toss with the warm lemon pepper butter sauce and garnish with chives and parsley. Serve with buttermilk ranch.
Air Fryer Method:
Set air-fryer to 400F. Add the wings in one even layer to your air fryer basket. You may need to do this in batches if your air fryer isn’t super large. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the air fryer and keep warm in a 200F oven while you make your second batch. Toss the wings in the lemon pepper butter sauce and serve.
Quick Tips for the Best Lemon Pepper Wings
Dry the wings thoroughly. Moisture is the enemy of crisp skin, so take a minute to blot them well with paper towels.
Use a rack if possible. Elevating the wings allows hot air to circulate, helping them brown evenly.
Make the seasoning ahead. The lemon pepper mix can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Use freshly cracked black pepper. It has a brighter aroma and sharper heat than pre-ground pepper.
Air-fryer friendly. Cook at 400°F in batches to avoid overcrowding, which can prevent crisping.
Strain the butter sauce if needed. Removing the zest creates a smoother sauce, but it’s optional based on preference.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Reheating: Reheat on a baking rack in a 400°F oven until hot and crisp, about 10–12 minutes. Avoid the microwave to preserve texture.
Make-ahead: The lemon pepper seasoning and buttermilk ranch can be prepared up to two days in advance and refrigerated.
Storage: Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Calories: 771kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 2629mg | Potassium: 1173mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1196IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 408mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
