Nitrate & Nitrite Free Lemon Pepper Wings
Crispy, tangy, and loaded with bright citrus heat, these oven-baked wings are the kind of crowd-pleaser that disappears fast. The secret to that shatteringly crisp skin is baking powder and a thorough pat-dry before they ever hit the oven — no deep fryer required. A quick homemade lemon pepper sauce made with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and coarsely ground black pepper gets whisked together in minutes and tossed over the hot wings right before serving. Every ingredient here is clean and straightforward, which means no processed seasonings or cured meats that could sneak in unwanted additives. For anyone keeping a close eye on what goes into their food, making your own sauce from scratch is the move — you control exactly what's in it. Finished with a scatter of fresh parsley and a few lemon wedges, these wings look as good as they taste and are genuinely hard to stop eating.
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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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