Citric Acid Free Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
Crispy, golden wings tossed in a bright, buttery lemon pepper sauce hit every note you want from a game-day snack or weeknight treat. The secret to that shatteringly crisp skin is baking powder in the dry coating — no breading, no fuss, just pure crunch straight from the air fryer. Most store-bought lemon pepper seasonings are loaded with citric acid as a preservative, which makes this homemade sauce such a smart workaround. Here, the tang comes entirely from fresh lemon juice and real lemon zest, so you get all the brightness without any of the additives that can cause problems. Coarsely ground black pepper brings a bold, peppery bite that balances the richness of the unsalted butter beautifully. A quick toss in the sauce right after cooking means every piece is evenly coated and still piping hot when it hits the platter. Finish with a scatter of fresh parsley and a few lemon wedges, and you've got a crowd-pleasing plate that looks and tastes like it took way more effort than it did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 lbs chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes, tips removed
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
For the lemon pepper sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
- 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry with paper towels. In a large mixing bowl, toss the wings with the baking powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and garlic powder until evenly coated.
- 2
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) for 3 minutes. Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each piece — work in two batches if needed to avoid crowding.
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