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These Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings have crispy, golden skin and a buttery lemon pepper sauce that coats every bite. There’s no flour or breading, and the wings are tossed in the sauce right before serving so they keep their crunch.
I use the same crispy-skin method as my air fryer fried chicken wings, then finish them with butter, lemon juice, and lemon pepper seasoning. When I’m making a larger batch, my baked lemon pepper wings are another great option.
Why You’ll Love These Wings
- Crispy without flour: Baking powder helps the chicken skin crisp up in the air fryer without breading.
- Buttery lemon pepper flavor: The sauce adds tangy, peppery flavor without covering up the crispy skin.
- Easy to make: You only need a few pantry seasonings, chicken wings, and three ingredients for the lemon pepper sauce.
Ingredients Needed
These wings use simple ingredients, but a few choices make a difference in the flavor and texture. The full quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken wings: Whole wings, flats, or drumettes work. Make sure the chicken is completely thawed before cooking. If you’re starting with whole wings, here’s how to cut them into pieces.
- Baking powder: Helps the skin become crispy without flour or breading. Use baking powder, not baking soda.
- Seasonings: Black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder give the wings savory flavor before adding the sauce.
- Olive oil: You can use avocado oil instead.
Lemon Pepper Sauce
- Unsalted butter: Makes the buttery sauce without adding salt before you’ve tasted your lemon pepper seasoning.
- Lemon juice: Fresh or bottled lemon juice works.
- Lemon pepper seasoning: I originally made these with salted California-style lemon pepper. Now I often use my homemade salt-free version and add sea salt to the lemon pepper butter only if needed. Both work well.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Wings in an Air Fryer
The key to crispy air fryer lemon pepper wings is cooking them before adding the buttery sauce.
Prepare and season the wings
Pat the wings dry with paper towels. Mix the baking powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl, then toss with the wings until evenly coated.
Air fry until crispy
Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and drizzle with oil. Air fry at 400°F for 12 minutes per side, flipping halfway through. For extra crispy skin, cook another 2–6 minutes as needed. The internal temperature should reach at least 165°F.
Make the lemon pepper sauce
Mix the melted butter, lemon juice, and lemon pepper seasoning in a bowl. Taste and add sea salt if needed, especially with a salt-free blend. Toss the hot wings in the sauce just before serving.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
- Use all of the baking powder mixture: Toss until the chicken is evenly coated so the skin crisps up as it cooks.
- Give the wings room: Arrange them in a single layer rather than stacking them. Cook in batches if your air fryer basket is small.
- Adjust the crispiness: Start with 12 minutes per side, then add a few more minutes if you’d like the wings more golden and crisp. Larger wings and different air fryers can take longer.
- Add the sauce last: Toss the cooked wings in lemon pepper butter right before serving so they stay as crispy as possible.
What to Serve with Lemon Pepper Wings
For a game-day appetizer, I like serving these wings with homemade ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing. Air fryer potato wedges make a great crispy side.
To make them a complete dinner, try baked macaroni and cheese with baked asparagus. For a low-carb option, serve them with cauliflower mac and cheese or air fryer roasted broccoli.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. For the best texture, reheat them in the air fryer until hot and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. If you have extra lemon pepper butter, toss the reheated wings with a little more just before serving.
More Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipes
If you love crispy wings, try my Air Fryer Buffalo Wings or Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings. Both are great for game day or when you want another wing flavor to serve alongside these.
Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
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Recommended Equipment
- Air fryer or Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken wings, whole or separated into flats and drumettes
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil, or avocado oil
Lemon Pepper Sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- Sea salt, optional, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the wings: Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. Combine the black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and baking powder in a small bowl.
- Season the wings: Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken and toss until evenly coated, using all of the mixture.
- Air fry the wings: Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and drizzle with olive oil. Air fry at 400°F for 12 minutes per side, flipping halfway through. For extra crispy wings, cook for another 2–6 minutes, checking frequently. The internal temperature should reach at least 165°F.
- Make the lemon pepper sauce: Stir together the melted butter, lemon juice, and lemon pepper seasoning. Taste and add sea salt if needed, especially when using salt-free lemon pepper seasoning.
- Coat and serve: Toss the hot wings in the lemon pepper butter until coated. Serve immediately.
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Recipe Notes
- Lemon pepper seasoning: California-style lemon pepper contains salt, while my homemade lemon pepper seasoning is salt-free. Taste the butter sauce and add sea salt only if needed.
- For crispy wings: Pat the chicken dry and cook in a single layer. Air fry for at least 12 minutes per side, adding a few minutes for extra crispy skin.
- Sauce just before serving: Toss the hot wings with lemon pepper butter at the end to preserve their crunch.
Nutrition Details
The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used.
