Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings are great for the family, a party, or when you just want a yummy snack. It’s nice to break from the ordinary wings and try something lemony, peppery, crispy, and delicious once in a while, don’t you think?

If you love chicken wings, then you’ll also love my recipes for Spicy Korean BBQ Chicken Wings, Spicy Honey Lime Chicken Wings, and my Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Chicken Wings.

What can I say about wings? A staple of American households everywhere, the chicken wings are ubiquitous with sports bars, appetizers, the Super Bowl, and any other time and place that people want to have fun and eat finger foods. 

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the typical chicken wing — dressed in Buffalo sauce, or some other ooey, gooey, drippy, spicy, garlicky concoction — but I also love to see if I can recreate the wheel as it were. To take something you are used to eating one way and make it just a little different. These wings are lighter, crispier, and fresher from what you are typically served. I feel like you could eat 20 of these and feel a-okay, whereas maybe not so much if you ate 20 hot Buffalo wings at the local wings joint. 

I like to make these wings when the parents come over or other family or a small gathering of friends. You get the wings, but you don’t get the mess. But don’t think you can skimp on the amount of wings — these puppies will be flying off your serving platter, just you wait! 

Here’s How you Make it

Here’s my tried and true method for making health-ish, crispy baked lemon pepper wings!

1. First, I make sure my wings are thawed (if frozen) and then I preheat the oven. I arrange the wings in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil and then topped with a cooling rack. 

2. Next, I brush the wings with olive oil (turning so I can get both sides) and season with a lot of salt and pepper (also on both sides). I pop these in the oven for 25-35 minutes until they are nice and crispy. 

3. While the wings are cooking, I whisk together the melted butter, honey, black pepper, and lemon juice. When the wings are done, I pull them out of the oven and brush this butter mixture over the wings and serve them right away. 

What can I Make with Wings?

Sides, sides, all the sides. Or, I guess if you’re just having a finger food/appetizer meal then the sides are really all just part of the meal, aren’t they? However, there are many foods that go great with wings, no matter how you choose to serve them: 

• If you’re going all-in on the finger foods, then what could be better than serving fries or potato wedges alongside them?
• These Crispy Parmesan Green Beans are easy to eat with your fingers and are so delicious! 
• How about a big, heaping spoonful of Creamy, Sweet Macaroni Salad to temper the peppery wings? 
• Easy Focaccia Bread is another appetizer food that we all love tearing into and dipping around here.  
• A Grilled Corn Salad is a refreshing side to dig into on those lazy summer nights where you want to throw together an easy veggie dish. 
• Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms complement the wings so nicely, you’d think they were BFFs. 

How Many Wings does a Chicken Have?

A chicken only has two wings, like every other bird. However, we use the wing tip (flat) and the drumette in a “wings” order, so technically, you are getting four wing pieces out of each chicken. 

Are Boneless Chicken Wings really Wings?

If you’re ordering boneless chicken wings, you know they are not really wings made from boneless chickens right? The “wings” that are served boneless-style are basically chicken nuggets in a wing shape. They will taste more like chicken fingers, too, with all that breading on them. 

How do I Make Lemon Pepper Chicken?

If you’re not into wings or want to make this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, then you can make this sauce for other types of chicken too. To make this with chicken breasts, oil and salt and pepper the breasts and cook for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. When they are done, brush with the lemon-butter sauce and sprinkle liberally with cracked black pepper. Serve over noodles with extra sauce (if you have any!). 

More Tasty Appetizer Recipes

• Korean BBQ Chicken Wings
• Easy Buffalo Cauliflower
• Crispy Oven French Fries
• Baked Pesto Chicken Sliders

Did you make these Lemon Pepper Wings? YAY! Please rate the recipe below!