Baked Lemon Pepper Wings (Printable)

Crispy oven wings coated with zesty lemon pepper blend, ideal for flavorful snacking or entertaining guests.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs chicken wings, joint separated, tips removed

→ Marinade & Seasoning

02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder

→ Lemon Pepper Coating

07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
09 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
11 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# How-To:

01 - Set the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil; place a wire rack on top.
02 - Pat chicken wings dry with paper towels to ensure a crispy texture upon baking.
03 - In a large bowl, toss wings with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until fully coated.
04 - Place the wings in a single layer on the wire rack, spacing evenly to allow air circulation.
05 - Bake wings for 35 to 40 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
06 - Combine melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, cracked black pepper, and sea salt in a bowl.
07 - Remove baked wings from oven and immediately toss them in the lemon pepper mixture until evenly coated.
08 - Transfer wings to a serving platter, garnish with chopped parsley if desired, and serve while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Wings that actually stay crispy without deep frying, thanks to a simple wire rack trick that changed my game.
  • The lemon and pepper aren't shy—they hit immediately and keep evolving as you eat, with real brightness instead of that tired citrus powder taste.
  • Takes barely fifty minutes from cold oven to platter, yet tastes like you fussed over it for hours.
02 -
  • Don't skip the wire rack—setting wings directly on a pan guarantes a soggy bottom, and you'll miss the whole point of this recipe.
  • The lemon butter goes on the wings while they're still hot off the oven; if you let them cool, the coating won't stick the same way and tastes more like a drizzle than a glaze.
  • Fresh lemon matters here—bottled juice will taste sour and flat instead of bright and alive, so if you can't find fresh lemons, it's worth waiting for them.
03 -
  • If you want dairy-free wings, swap the melted butter for good olive oil and the flavor will barely shift—sometimes even brighter.
  • The key to getting wings this crispy is patience and a hot oven; don't lower the temperature or extend the time, as this dries them out instead of crisping them.

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