Caffeine Free Lemon Pepper Wings

Total time1 hr 5 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time50 min

4.7

(10)

Crispy, tangy, and loaded with bold flavor, these oven-baked 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 moisture away from the surface so the oven does the heavy lifting without a drop of oil for frying. Once the wings come out golden and crackling, they get tossed in a bright, buttery sauce built from fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and coarsely ground black pepper that hits every note between rich and zippy. Everything here is naturally free of coffee, tea, or any other stimulant-containing ingredient, so you can serve these without a second thought at events where guests are avoiding caffeine entirely. A wire rack set over the baking sheet is the other key move — it lets hot air circulate underneath each wing for even browning all the way around. Finish with a scatter of fresh parsley and a few lemon wedges on the side, and you've got a platter that looks as good as it tastes. These are best served straight from the bowl while the sauce is still warm and clinging to every crispy edge.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the wings

2 ½ lb chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp garlic powder

For the lemon pepper sauce

4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)
1 ½ 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
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Set a wire rack inside a large baking sheet and lightly coat the rack with nonstick spray.
2
Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry with paper towels — the drier the surface, the crisper the skin. In a large mixing bowl, toss the wings with the baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, and garlic powder until evenly coated.

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