Honey Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

A honey lemon pepper chicken wing being dipped in sauce.

Honey Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

These honey lemon pepper chicken wings are the perfect addition to any gathering. The sweetness of the honey combined with the lemon pepper seasonings is a flavor combination that will have everyone raving.

The wings bake in the oven for a crispy texture and flavor, making them an ideal finger food. Baste the wings with the honey lemon pepper sauce as they cook to give them a sticky, caramelized coating. This recipe makes enough sauce to use as a dip as well. If you like them hot, make a hot honey sauce with a touch of Tabasco or Franks.

5 from 11 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1

Servings: to 6 servings

Calories: 896kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings
1 tablespoon cooking oil

Lemon Pepper Rub

2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon baking powder or cornstarch
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon salt

Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Sauce

4 tablespoons butter melted
¼ cup honey
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 to 4 teaspoons Tabasco or Frank’s Red Hot
¾ teaspoon red chili flakes
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Optional step: place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet so air can circulate around the wings.*
Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel then toss them with the oil in a large bowl.
In a small dish combine the lemon pepper seasoning, baking powder or cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.
Toss the seasoning mix with the chicken wings until the wings are completely coated.
Place the wings on the baking sheet and slide them in the oven.
While the wings cook, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan. If you don’t want the spicy heat, omit the hot sauce, chili peppers, and cayenne. Heat over medium heat until the butter melts.
After the chicken wings cook for 20 minutes, baste them with some of the sauce. Baste them again 15 minutes later. They will need to cook for a total of 40 to 55 minutes, depending on the size of the wings.
Remove the wings when the internal temperature reaches 175°F or until you can pull the meat away from the bones with a fork.
Transfer the wings to a large bowl and toss them with more of the sauce.

Notes

Before you begin, try to remove as much moisture from the chicken wings as possible. Excess moisture will prevent the wings from getting a crispy skin.
Baking the wings on top of a rack is optional. They will bake just fine if you place them directly on the baking sheet. Use the baking rack if you want the wings to have a crispier skin but I will warn you that the baking rack is a little messier to clean. If you want a fast and easy cleanup, place the wings directly on parchment paper or an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
You can use any hot sauce instead of Tabasco or Frank’s. We preferred the flavor from the Tabasco ourselves, but we only used 1 teaspoon, so it didn’t overpower the lemon pepper and honey.

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