Description
Crispy oven-baked chicken wings coated in a sweet and tangy honey lemon pepper glaze. These wings deliver a perfect balance of zesty lemon, warm honey sweetness, bold cracked black pepper, and a touch of garlic, baked to golden perfection for a delightful appetizer or game day treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Wings
- 2 lbs chicken wings, split into drumettes and flats
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (for crispiness)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Honey Lemon Pepper Glaze
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top to allow air circulation around the wings for even crisping.
- Dry wings: Pat the chicken wings dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps achieve crispiness in the oven.
- Coat wings: Toss the wings with baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until they are evenly coated. The baking powder is key to making the skin crispy.
- Bake wings: Arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack. Bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until the wings are golden brown and crispy.
- Prepare glaze: While the wings bake, combine honey, melted butter, freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and salt in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until the mixture becomes smooth and well combined.
- Toss wings in glaze: Once the wings are done baking, transfer them to a large bowl and toss thoroughly with the honey lemon pepper glaze to coat each wing evenly.
- Serve: Serve immediately, garnished with extra lemon wedges and a sprinkle of black pepper for added flavor.
Notes
- Patting the wings dry is essential to achieve maximum crispiness.
- Baking powder in this recipe is aluminum-free to avoid any metallic taste.
- Be sure to flip the wings halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.
- The glaze can be adjusted in sweetness or tanginess by varying the honey and lemon juice quantities.
- Serve with celery sticks and ranch or blue cheese dressing if desired.
