Lemon Pepper Wings
These crispy Lemon Pepper Wings are bursting with flavor! Juicy chicken is baked to perfection and tossed in a lemon butter sauce for the perfect keto-friendly chicken recipe.
Lemon Pepper Wings
Juicy, flavorful Lemon Pepper Wings are just an hour away with this delicious recipe! You’ll only need 4 ingredients for this easy chicken appetizer, and it’s convenient recipe for picky eaters, too. You’ll definitely want to save this one!
If you enjoy meal prepping, chicken wings are an excellent freezer meal, too. When reheated correctly, the high fat content can help provide perfectly succulent wings that won’t taste like leftovers at all. Make a double batch, freeze, and thank yourself later!
Ingredients for Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this recipe. For exact measurements, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card.
- Chicken wings – This recipe is for “party wings” or chicken wings that have been separated into little drummies and flats. This is a bone-in, skin-on cut.
- Lemon – Both lemon juice and lemon zest are used to make this super flavorful, bright tasting dish.
- Cracked pepper – Freshly cracked pepper has the bold flavor and coarse texture we want for these classic wings. Here’s a great grinder if you like to start with fresh peppercorns.
- Salted butter – If you prefer to use unsalted butter, you’ll want to add about 1/8 teaspoon salt.
- Lemon juice – This is mixed with the butter for the finishing sauce. This can be skipped if you want a milder flavor.
- Cooking oil/spray oil – This coats the wings before baking, so any neutral oil with higher smoke points (like avocado oil, refined olive oil, etc.) will work.
How to make Lemon Pepper Wings
These lemon pepper chicken wings are simple and easy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making the perfect crispy chicken wings!
Season chicken
Spray the chicken with oil, then coat with lemon zest and cracked pepper. Toss to make sure seasoning is well distributed, then place them on a wire rack on a baking sheet.
Bake chicken
Bake the chicken at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip so that the other side can crisp up. Return to the oven and cook another 25-30 minutes or until chicken temperature reads 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
Broil to crisp (optional)
If you love your wings SUPER crispy, switch the oven to broil and move the wings up to the top rack of your oven. Allow the broiler to crisp up the skin for 1-2 minutes — Be very watchful; things can burn quickly!
Toss in sauce
Remove chicken from the oven. In a large bowl, melt butter and squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon. Place the wings in the bowl and toss until all wings are generously covered in the lemony butter sauce.
Serve
These wings are best served immediately, preferably with fresh herbs and a great dipping sauce! Our favorite options include sugar free honey mustard, this Jalapeno Ranch, or Keto Beer Cheese Dip.
Store
Allow wings to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep up to 4 days before needing to be eaten or frozen to preserve longer.
Freeze
Allow the wings to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Press as much air as possible out of the container to help prevent freezer burn. Wings will be best within 6 months of freezing.
Tip: If you are making a lot of wings but only plan to pull 1-2 servings out at once, it may be best to first freeze the wings on a baking sheet for 2 hours. Once partially frozen, move to your freezer-safe container. This will prevent the wings from freezing into a large pile stuck together.
Reheat
The two best reheating methods for chicken wings are baking and air frying. Both options keep the meat juicy while keeping some crunch in the skin. I don’t recommend the microwave because the skin becomes soggy and the meat overcooks and dries out.
To evenly reheat a large amount of wings, reheating in the oven (350 degrees for 10-14 minutes) is your best bet. To avoid any drying out, you can spray the wings with water before reheating. You can turn them halfway through for the most even cooking, but it’s not necessary.
The air fryer gives you the quickest, crispiest reheated wings. With the air fryer on 360, reheat wings in a single layer for 5-6 minutes. For the crispiest skin, flip at the 3 minute mark.
If you love these lemon pepper wings, you’ll love these other chicken appetizers:
- Chicken Taquitos – These get perfectly crispy in the air fryer or oven! For a low carb appetizer, you can make keto taquitos, too.
- Chicken Pesto Stuffed Sweet Peppers – These are full of flavor and perfect for an after school snack, healthy lunch, or party app.
- Potato Skins with Buffalo Chicken – Spicy, cheesy, tender, crispy… These potato skins are exactly what you crave when you want a great appetizer!
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets – These are gluten free and low carb, so your keto friends will LOVE you for providing these tasty bites!
- Crock Pot Crack Chicken – This is amazing on crackers or chips, or you can scoop it up and use it as a sandwich filling!
Lemon Pepper Wings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp cracked pepper
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together lemon zest and cracked pepper, then set it aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Pat wings dry and trim any loose bits. Spray or drizzle with olive oil, then coat with the lemon pepper seasoning.
- Bake chicken wings for 50-55 minutes total, flipping halfway through. When the center of the largest wing reads 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer, they're finished.
- (Optional) If you love super crispy skin, turn off the oven but turn on the broiler. Raise the pan of wings to the top rack, just 3" or so from the broiler. Broil for 1-2 minutes, carefully making sure to not allow it to burn.
- Remove wings from oven. In a large bowl or skillet, melt butter and stir in the lemon juice. Toss in chicken wings and mix until all pieces are well coated. Serve immediately.
