Elevate crispy baked chicken wings with this recipe for mouthwatering Hot Honey lemon pepper wings! The seasoned chicken wings are sweet, sour, and spicy. So, get ready to watch them disappear before your eyes – they’re that good.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Chicken Wings: Two pounds of chicken wings feeds my family of four with leftovers, but adjust the recipe if you’re feeding a crowd. Make it easy on yourself and purchase chicken wings split into drums and flats. I usually buy uncooked chicken wings from Costco.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder is necessary if you want crispy chicken wings.
- Rub: Season our Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings with a homemade rub consisting of lemon pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Sauce: What would Hot Honey wings be without Mike’s Hot Honey? Combine the flavorful condiment with butter, fresh lemon juice, hot sauce, lemon pepper seasoning, cayenne, and black pepper to finish the wings.
Additions and Substitutions
If you don’t have Hot Honey on hand, easily make your own using these ingredients:
- 1 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
How to Make Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Dry the chicken wings using a cloth to remove excess moisture. Next, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack onto it.
Step 2: Adjust the oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C).
Combine baking powder, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl; pour the mixture over the chicken wings and toss.
Step 3: Bake the wings for 20 minutes. Then, flip them and bake for 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the wings.
In the last 10 minutes, flip the wings often to ensure both sides have a nice golden brown skin.
Step 4: Let the wings cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, warm butter in a saute pan and add the lemon juice, hot honey, hot sauce, lemon pepper, and black pepper over medium heat.
Step 5: Heat the mixture to 3-5 minutes over low heat until the sauce thickens, then add it to a mixing bowl with the chicken wings.
Expert Tips
- A wire rack allows air to move freely around the chicken wings so the heat can circulate on all sides. If you don’t have a wire rack, I recommend lining a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat dry the wings to achieve a nice, crispy coating.
- Spread the chicken onto the baking sheet; crowding them causes the wings to steam instead of bake.
- Baking powder is alkaline, and pairing it with salt changes the acidity or pH of the skin, which helps the wings become crispy.
- Let the chicken wings rest after roasting them, allowing the wings to release moisture from the skin so they stay crispy.
- Toss the chicken wings in the hot honey lemon pepper sauce, and serve them as is. You can also coat them in the sauce and cook them in the oven again to let the honey caramelize.
SEARCHING FOR MORE LIKE THIS?
If you love this recipe, try one of these chicken wing favorites!
Serving Suggestions
Wings are a perfect appetizer with zesty ranch dressing or complete the meal by pairing them with one of these mouthwatering sides for wings.
- Carrots and Celery, Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, Air Fryer Jalapeño Poppers
- Corn Bread
- Twice Baked Potatoes, Healthy Potato Salad, Roasted Potatoes, French Fries, Air Fryer Frozen Sweet Potatoes, Southern Potato Salad, Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
- Southern Mac and Cheese
- House Salad, Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Vinegar Coleslaw, Cucumber Carrot Salad
- Chips and Guacamole or Chunky Salsa
What to Do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container; they will keep for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the wings cool, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Hot Honey lemon pepper wings freeze for 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 are lemon pepper wings, and what do they taste like?
Lemon Pepper wings are chicken wings tossed in a Hot Honey and lemon pepper sauce. The strong citrus flavor comes from the lemon pepper seasoning, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice. We balance the sour notes with mild heat from the Hot Honey, hot sauce, and cayenne powder.
Are lemon pepper wings hot?
Some Hot Honey lemon pepper wings recipes can be spicy, but ours is mild at best. While we include spicy ingredients, the overall heat is balanced by the honey and citrus elements.
Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
- Small Bowl
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 lemons, juiced and zested
- ½ cup Mike's Hot Honey
- 1 teaspoon Crystal's Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- Dry the chicken wings using a cloth to remove excess moisture. Next, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack onto it.
- Adjust the oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Combine baking powder, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a small bowl; pour the mixture over the chicken wings and toss.
- Bake the wings for 20 minutes. Then, flip them and bake for 15-30 minutes, depending on the size of the wings. In the last 10 minutes, flip the wings often to ensure both sides have a nice golden brown skin.
- Let the wings cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, warm butter in a saute pan and add the lemon juice, hot honey, hot sauce, lemon pepper, and black pepper over medium heat.
- Heat the mixture to 3-5 minutes over low heat until the sauce thickens, then add it to a mixing bowl with the chicken wings.
- A wire rack allows air to move freely around the chicken wings so the heat can circulate on all sides. If you don’t have a wire rack, I recommend lining a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pat dry the wings to achieve a nice, crispy coating.
- Spread the chicken onto the baking sheet; crowding them causes the wings to steam instead of bake.
- Baking powder is alkaline, and pairing it with salt changes the acidity or pH of the skin, which helps the wings become crispy.
- Let the chicken wings rest after roasting them, allowing the wings to release moisture from the skin so they stay crispy.
- Toss the chicken wings in the hot honey lemon pepper sauce, and serve them as is. You can also coat them in the sauce and cook them in the oven again to let the honey caramelize.
- 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.