Walnut Free Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
Crispy, golden, and bursting with bright citrus heat, these air fryer wings are the kind of crowd-pleaser that disappears fast at any gathering. The secret to that shatteringly crisp skin is baking powder — it draws out moisture and helps the exterior turn deep golden without a drop of oil for frying. Once the wings come out of the air fryer, they get tossed in a quick pan sauce of melted butter, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and coarsely ground black pepper that clings to every piece beautifully. There are no nuts anywhere near this recipe — just clean, straightforward ingredients that make it a genuinely safe and stress-free choice for anyone navigating tree nut concerns. The whole sauce comes together in minutes while the wings are still cooking, so timing is easy and nothing sits around getting cold. Finish with a scatter of fresh parsley and a few lemon wedges on the side for a platter that looks as good as it tastes. These are the wings you'll be making on repeat.
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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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