Hot Honey lemon pepper wings are a great appetizer for game day or weeknight dinner, and they are the best party wings! Coat the juicy chicken wings in a homemade dry rub and toss them with honey lemon pepper sauce for the perfect hint of spice.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken Wings: Skip the legwork and purchase chicken wings split into a combination of drums and flats; I usually buy uncooked chicken wings from Costco.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder (not baking soda) is necessary for crispy baked chicken wings. Baking powder is alkaline, and pairing it with salt changes the acidity and pH of the skin, producing extra crispy skin.
- Dry Rub: Season the hot honey lemon pepper wings with lemon pepper seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Sauce: Make homemade honey lemon pepper glaze with Mike’s Hot Honey, unsalted butter, fresh lemon juice and zest, your favorite hot sauce (I love Crystal’s), lemon pepper seasoning, cayenne pepper, and black pepper to finish the wings.
Additions and Substitutions
- If you don’t have spicy honey, you can easily make your own with one cup of regular honey, one tablespoon of red pepper flakes or cayenne, and apple cider vinegar. Then, add a few teaspoons of hot sauce to finish the honey.
How to Make Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Then, pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel.
Step 2: Whisk the baking powder, lemon pepper, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a bowl. Pour the mixture over the chicken wings and combine.
Step 3: Prepare a wire rack with cooking spray and arrange the chicken wings onto it. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the wings and cook for 15-30 minutes.
Tip: Cooking time varies depending on the size of the wings; the safe cooking temperature for chicken is 165°F (74°C).
Step 4: Optional: Broil the wings for 3-5 minutes for extra crispy, golden brown wings.
Step 5: Remove the chicken wings from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes— meanwhile, warm butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Step 6: Add lemon juice, zest, hot honey, hot sauce, lemon pepper seasoning, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Step 7: Transfer the chicken wings to a large mixing bowl and pour the wing sauce over the top. Toss to combine.
Air Fryer Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Line the chicken wings into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 15-18 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Tip: You may need to cook the chicken wings in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
Expert Tips
- Cook the chicken wings on a wire rack, allowing the hot air to move freely around the wings to cook the chicken on all sides. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to create a barrier if you don’t have a wire rack.
- Pat the wings dry with a cloth or paper towel to create extra crispy wings.
- Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer onto the wire rack with space in between. Overcrowding causes the chicken to steam rather than bake.
- Rest the chicken wings after they bake, allowing time for the wings to release moisture from the skin so they stay crispy.
- The best way to know when the chicken finishes cooking is to use a food thermometer. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for chicken.
If you enjoy the juicy chicken, try more chicken wing recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Hot honey lemon pepper wings are a perfect appetizer for game days and parties, or serve them with these sides for wings for a quick dinner idea!
The delicious wings pair well with Dutch oven mac and cheese, air fryer sweet potato wedges, cucumber carrot salad, or buttery corn bread.
And don’t forget the classic dipping sauces like ranch dressing or bleu cheese. Or you can try something more adventurous such as garlicky sos czosnkowy and dill pickle ranch dressing.
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover wings in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the wings cool, and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Hot Honey lemon pepper wings freeze for 4-6 months.
- Reheat: Warm the leftovers in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350°F (176°C) for the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do lemon pepper wings taste like?
Hot honey lemon pepper chicken wings are known for their sour and spicy hot honey sauce. The strong citrus flavor comes from the lemon pepper seasoning, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice. I balance the tart flavor with heat from Hot Honey, hot sauce, and cayenne powder.
Are lemon pepper wings hot?
Some hot honey lemon pepper wings are spicy, but I think this recipe is mild at best. While the sauce includes hot honey, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper, I balance the heat with sweet and citrusy ingredients. However, I recognize the wings may be a tad bit spicy for some.
If you don’t tolerate spicy food, I recommend replacing the hot honey with regular honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar. Replace the cayenne pepper with more paprika and leave out the hot sauce.
More Appetizer Recipes:
Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
- Small Bowl
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon butter
- lemons juice, 2 lemons, plus 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- ½ cup Mike's Hot Honey
- 1 teaspoon Crystal's hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- Adjust the oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack into it. Then, pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel.
- Whisk the baking powder, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the chicken wings and toss to combine.
- Prepare a wire rack with cooking spray and arrange the chicken wings onto it. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the wings and cook for 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the wings.Tip: Cooking time varies depending on the size of the wings; the safe cooking temperature for chicken is 165°F (74°C).
- Optional: Broil the wings for 3-5 minutes for extra crispy, golden brown wings.
- Remove the chicken wings from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes— meanwhile, warm butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add the lemon juice, zest, hot honey, hot sauce, lemon pepper seasoning, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Transfer the cooked chicken wings to a large mixing bowl and pour the wing sauce over the top. Toss to combine.
- Cook the chicken wings on a wire rack, allowing the hot air to move freely around the wings to cook the chicken on all sides. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to create a barrier if you don’t have a wire rack.
- Pat the wings dry with a cloth or paper towel to create extra crispy wings.
- Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer onto the wire rack with space in between. Overcrowding causes the chicken to steam rather than bake.
- Rest the chicken wings after they bake, allowing time for the wings to release moisture from the skin so they stay crispy.
- The best way to know when the chicken finishes cooking is to use a food thermometer. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for chicken.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Shayna S.
Thursday 21st of September 2023
8/10 would recommend! I didn’t measure the seasoning, I just went until i felt it was enough, lol. No discredit to the blogger or nothing, and I also cooked the wings in the sauce after I took them out of the oven so the sauce would thicken - it was really good!
Tressa Jamil
Thursday 21st of September 2023
Hey, I am all about seasoning with your heart so I am glad you went for it, and I love the tip about baking them after you add the sauce. I will have to try that. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.