Cinnamon Free Lemon Pepper Wings
Crispy, tangy, and loaded with bold flavor, these oven-baked wings are the kind of crowd-pleaser that disappears fast. 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 butter sauce built from fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and coarsely ground black pepper, which hits every note between rich and zippy. For anyone navigating spice blends and seasoning packets that sneak in unexpected ingredients, this recipe keeps things refreshingly straightforward — every component is whole and easy to verify. The sauce comes together in under two minutes on the stovetop, so there's no waiting around while your wings go cold. A scatter of fresh parsley and a few lemon wedges on the side make the platter look like it came from a proper restaurant kitchen. These are the wings you'll want on repeat.
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Learn more →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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