These amazing air fryer lemon pepper wings use fresh lemon zest, black pepper, and a secret ingredient that makes the coating extra crispy (without any batter). They take only 30 minutes with 8 simple ingredients and have a sweet and sticky honey glaze to top them off! Serve them as a light main with a vegetable and starchy side, or as a super impressive appetizer while your guests or family wait for the main meal.
I think these lemon pepper wings without lemon pepper seasoning taste so much fresher, and they're just as easy to make!
While the ingredients for Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings are available year-round, we enjoy this recipe best in the spring and summer months.
The air fryer is the perfect way to make these lemon pepper wings. There's less mess than frying, and the convection in an air fryer helps make every surface super crispy.
Air fryers cook quickly, so these are fryer lemon pepper wings are done in only 22 minutes.
While there are plenty of air fryer options out there, I use the Instant Pot with Air Fryer Lid. It's the perfect minimalist duo that I also use in my camper van kitchen.
For a full meal, pair these air-fryer wings with Arugula Quinoa Salad, Tahini Pasta Salad, a Dairy-Free Charcuterie Board, or our light Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes (no milk or butter).
Jump to:
How to make it (with photos)
Ingredients Notes + Substitutions
This homemade lemon pepper wings recipe uses only 8 simple ingredients. Since most of the ingredients are pantry items, you probably only need to buy chicken wings and a lemon!
- chicken wings - I recommend bone-in and skin-on chicken wings for this recipe. The skin gets ultra crispy and traditional wings are skin-on. I like to keep a couple of 1-pound packs of chicken wings in the freezer since they freeze and thaw well.
- baking powder - Baking powder is our secret ingredient! While you won't taste it in the final dish, it helps to break down the fat in the chicken skin in a way that allows it to get crispier. Without it, the wings are crispy when you take them out of the air fryer but it softens more quickly with the glaze.
- garlic powder - I do not recommend substituting raw garlic for garlic powder in this recipe. The fine, dried granules cling nicely to the chicken skin, and fresh garlic would behave differently.
- starch - Starch helps to bring out the lemon flavors in the honey lemon glaze. You can also omit it if you prefer.
You also need salt, black pepper, honey, and a fresh lemon to make this recipe.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card.
Equipment
You do need an Air Fryer to make these homemade lemon pepper wings.
- air fryer - Any air fryer will do. I use the Instant Pot with Air Fryer Lid to save space in my kitchen.
- tongs - A good pair of tongs will help protect your fingers when it's time to pull those tasty little morsels from the basket.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This easy air fryer lemon pepper wings recipe has just four simple steps:
- Prep wings + spice rub: Rinse chicken wings under cool water and pat dry with a towel until skin is slightly sticky. Mix spice rub ingredients in a small bowl.
- Coat the wings: Roll the skin side of a chicken wing in the spice rub, coating completely. Then lay skin-side-up in the air fryer basket. Repeat with all remaining wings. You can arrange drumsticks so they stand vertically, leaning against the outside of the basket, if more space is needed.
- Cook + mix glaze: Air fry at 400 degrees F for 22 minutes. I do not disturb or flip the wings during the cooking process. While cooking, add glaze ingredients to a jar and whisk or cover with a lid and shake until well mixed.
- Glaze: When finished cooking, gently remove the chicken wings from the air fryer basket with tongs or a spatula. Arrange on a serving dish and drizzle with glaze just before serving. Sprinkle with fresh lemon zest and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Make your perfect air fryer lemon pepper wings on the first try with these expert tips!
Coat both sides for more flavor!
Some of our taste testers preferred coating only one side of the chicken wings with seasoning, and some preferred both. It depends on how bold of a flavor you want. Personally, I prefer coating only one side.
Don't skip patting the wings dry.
Patting the surface of the chicken wings until they are dry makes a sticky surface that grabs onto and holds all that tasty lemon pepper seasoning!
Recipe FAQs
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about this Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings recipe. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments at the end of this post and I'll answer within two business days.
Store leftover air fryer lemon pepper wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. I recommend refrigerating the wings and glaze separately if possible so you can reheat the wings in the air fryer to restore the original crispy texture.
Lemon pepper seasoning usually contains lemon zest, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and salt.
Related easy chicken recipes to consider...
Looking for more easy chicken recipes like these air fryer lemon pepper wings? Check these out:
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the comment field below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings from scratch
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken wings
Spice Rub
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Glaze
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon = about ½ lemon, juiced
- 3 teaspoons tapioca starch
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest grated
Instructions
- Prep chicken + spice rub: Rinse chicken wings under cool water and pat dry with a towel until skin is slightly sticky. Mix spice rub ingredients in a small bowl.
- Coat wings in spice: Roll the skin side of a chicken wing in the spice rub, coating completely. Then lay skin-side-up in the air fryer basket. Repeat with all remaining wings. You can arrange drumsticks so they stand vertically, leaning against the outside of the basket, if more space is needed.
- Cook: Air fry at 400 degrees F for 22 minutes. I do not disturb or flip the wings during the cooking process. While cooking, add glaze ingredients to a jar and whisk or cover with a lid and shake until well mixed.
- Glaze: When finished cooking, gently remove the chicken wings from the air fryer basket with tongs or a spatula. Arrange on a serving dish and drizzle with glaze just before serving. Sprinkle with fresh lemon zest and enjoy!
Marti says
My boyfriend and I love these! Now that football season is here, I will probably be making these weekly!! 🙂
Jamie says
I'm so glad you love them Marti! Thank you for the review!
Natalee says
Super yummy! I plan on fixing these as a quick dinner on school nights.
Jamie says
They are the ultimate quick dinner treat! Enjoy them Natalee!
Molly says
Love the glaze and fresh zest! It's so tasty and crispy, and really easy to make.