Does snacky appetiser finger food get any better than chicken wings? Rhetorical question, since I know you’re here for these amazing honey lemon pepper wings. Crunchy, sweet and savoury these wings are made with a honey lemon pepper sauce using real lemons.
Every time I make these, they disappear so fast, I wish I’d done a double batch.
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Baked, not fried: Beautifully crispy edges and succulent inside. No fussing with hot oil.
- Sweet, salty, spicy: the perfect flavour trifecta.
- Real lemon juice, zest and ground black pepper. It’s just as easy but tastes so much better than pre-made seasoning.
Since they finish their cooking in a sticky sauce, they’re perfect on their own but if you love a dipping sauce try this ranch dip or avocado crema.
This recipe was first published here on January 2nd, 2022 and has been updated with clearer information.
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Wet vs dry wings
These honey lemon pepper wings are known as wet wings, since they have a sauce coating. Dry wings are wings made using a dry rub and generally no sauce.
Ingredients you’ll need
What I love about this recipe is the minimal ingredients but also the real ingredients. Aside from some onion powder and paprika, everything here is in its most real form which makes these wings all the more flavourful
- Chicken wings: I use a kilogram (2.2lb) of whole chicken wings.
- Lemon: 1 large fresh lemon should get you the right amount of juice and zest.
- Pepper: Use fresh coarsely ground pepper if you can. Whole peppercorns, freshly ground as needed, retain their flavour better than store-bought ground pepper.
- Honey: Different honey varieties have differing flavours depending on the flowers the bees visited, so use your favourite or experiment with new flaovurs.
- Baking powder: This is my little trick to make oven baked chicken wings even crunchier. The baking powder reacts with the moisture in the skin to get it extra crispy.
- Salt: Where there is pepper … Salt is a great seasoning, adding flavour and intensifying the flavour of all the other ingredients.
- Onion powder: Onion powder is really the only thing here that isn’t fresh. I use powder here to make the dry rub at the start a true dry rub and keep those wings crispy. You could add onion to the sauce instead but, for me, it added unwanted texture there.
- Paprika: A little paprika goes a long way and it’s a favourite spice of mine for adding earthiness to anything.
- Garlic: I use fresh garlic in the sauce and it’s such a perfect flavour here. Feel free to add more if you love garlic or leave it out if you don’t.
I finish these off with a little parsley for colour but it’s not totally necessary. Some lemon wedges on the side are a nice touch too.
You can add chilli for some extra spice too and turn them into hot honey lemon pepper wings.
How to make lemon pepper wings
I make these lemon pepper wings in the oven and with very little prep time, they’re always a winner. Crunchy, oven-baked wings are so simple to make, so let’s go.
Detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Dry out the wings: Don’t skip this step but if you can only do it for a couple hours, it’s better than nothing. After cutting the wings into flats and drumettes with a very sharp knife (photo 1), lay them out, in a single layer, on a wire rack over a baking sheet pan lined with foil (photo 2). Place them in the fridge, uncovered, for 6 hours or overnight.
- Season and bake: Take the dried wings and toss them in the spice mixture (photo 3) so they’re thoroughly coated then lay them back out on the same wire rack (photo 4) and bake in a hot oven for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and crispy – no need to flip them.
The honey lemon pepper sauce
The honey lemon pepper sauce is all homemade, all natural and all kinds of delicious. Lemon zest, lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper is all you need to make your own and it has so much more flavour than using a pre-mixed seasoning.
- Cook the sauce: Place the ingredients into a large saucepan (photo 5) and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Stir the sauce as it simmers away for 3-4 minutes until it thickens a little and then set it aside until you’re ready.
- Coat the wings: Transfer the baked wings to the saucepan and toss well in the sauce, making sure they’re coated all over (photo 6), then bake for a further 10 minutes.
You can drizzle over any leftover honey lemon pepper sauce for serving, or mix it through a little mayo and sour cream, if you’d like a dip.
BE CAREFUL! Hot honey is like molten lava. Transfer them to a serving plate with tongs and let them cool for 5 minutes before trying to eat them so you don’t burn your mouth.
Storing leftover wings
If you’re so lucky to have leftover wings, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. These honey lemon pepper wings are best served fresh but you can reheat them in a moderate oven for 10-15 minutes (or eat them cold).
Honey lemon pepper wings FAQ’s
Absolutely. Maple syrup works a treat on these wings and you can substitute it for the honey 1:1 in this recipe.
You can use chicken drumsticks, or for that matter any other cut of chicken but cooking times will vary.
You can make lemon pepper chicken wings using lemon pepper seasoning but I love the natural flavour and tang of the real thing. I’ve not tested this recipe with the seasoning so add a little at a time to the sauce to taste. Add water in place of the lemon juice.
Technically, you don’t need to cut the wings into pieces, they’re just a little easier to handle this way, especially if being served as finger food.
You can use fresh or frozen wings, but make sure frozen wings are thawed before starting.
Yes, and they will take a little less time. Just 24-26 minutes in the air fryer basket at 180C / 350F. I recommend flipping them halfway and make sure they’re in a single layer. When you place them back in after coating, they’ll only need 3-4 minutes.
More wings recipes you’ll love
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Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN WINGS
- 1 kg chicken wings (approx 8 large wings) (2.2lb)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
FOR THE HONEY LEMON PEPPER SAUCE
- ½ cup honey (125ml)
- zest of one large lemon
- ¼ cup lemon juice (60ml)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh coarsely cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- A wire rack that is oven safe
- A large baking tray or sheet pan
- Mixing bowl and tongs, spoons
- Saucepan
Instructions
- Cut the wings at the joints to separate into tips, flats and drumettes. Discard the wing tips. Pat the rest dry with paper towel.
- Sit an oven-safe wire rack over a foil lined baking tray or sheet pan. Place the wings pieces on the rack, skin side up in a single layer. Chill in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight (uncovered) – this helps dry out the skin to get them extra crispy.
- Preheat oven to 200C (180C fan forced) / 400F.
- Place the wings in a bowl. Sprinkle over the baking powder, salt, onion powder and paprika. Give them a good mix so they are all evenly coated.
- Space out on the same wire rack, again in a single layer, and place in the oven for 35- 45 minutes until golden and crispy.
FOR THE HONEY LEMON PEPPER SAUCE
- While the chicken is cooking add the honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and salt in a large saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer while stirring. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until thickened.
- When the wings are looking golden and crispy, tip them into the saucepan and mix well to coat (you can do it in batches if you can’t fit them all in your saucepan). Lay them back out on the wire rack and bake a further 10 minutes.
- Transfer them to a serving plate, scatter over finely chopped parsley and serve.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- You can drizzle over any leftover honey lemon pepper sauce for serving, or mix it through a little mayo and sour cream, if you’d like a dip.
- BE CAREFUL! Hot honey is like molten lava. Transfer them to a serving plate with tongs and let them cool for 5 minutes before trying to eat them so you don’t burn your mouth.
- Air frying: You can air fry them and they will take a little less time. Just 24-26 minutes in the air fryer basket at 180C / 350F. I recommend flipping them half way. When you place them back in after coating, they’ll only need 3-4 minutes.
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4 Comments on “Honey Lemon Pepper Wings”
I have made these wings several times even for a very upscale event and they were hit every time!
I’m so happy you love them, Miranda. Truly appreciate you dropping back to leave a review.
Trying this recipe today……can’t wait as they sound spoil good
Can’t wait to hear what you think, Linda.