Shellfish Free Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
Crispy, golden wings tossed in a bright, buttery lemon pepper sauce — this is the kind of crowd-pleaser that disappears fast at any gathering. The air fryer does the heavy lifting here, circulating hot air around each piece to deliver that deep, crackling skin without a drop of oil for frying. A light coating of baking powder is the real secret weapon, drawing moisture away from the skin so every bite has serious crunch. The sauce comes together in minutes on the stovetop — just butter, fresh lemon juice, zest, and coarsely ground black pepper — and it clings to the wings in the most satisfying way. Since the whole recipe is built around straightforward chicken and pantry staples, there's zero concern about hidden shellfish derivatives that can sneak into restaurant sauces or store-bought wing seasonings. Finished with a scatter of fresh parsley and a few lemon wedges, these wings look as good as they taste. Whether you're feeding a game-day crowd or just treating yourself on a weeknight, this one is hard to beat.
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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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