Turkey Free Lemon Pepper Wings
Crispy, buttery, and bright with citrus, these oven-baked chicken wings are the kind of crowd-pleaser that disappears fast no matter the occasion. The secret to that shatteringly crisp skin is a light coating of baking powder before they hit the oven — no deep fryer needed, just a wire rack and high heat doing all the work. Once they come out golden and crackling, a quick pan sauce of melted butter, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and coarsely ground black pepper gets tossed over every piece for that bold, tangy finish. Everything here is straightforward chicken, so there's zero concern about accidentally grabbing something that contains turkey — these wings are the real star of the spread. A scatter of fresh parsley and a few lemon wedges on the side make the platter look like you put in way more effort than you actually did. Serve them straight from the bowl while they're still hot and glossy, because that's when they're absolutely at their best.
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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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