• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Soups
  • One Pot
  • Baking
  • Meat and Fish
  • Celiac Resources
  • Breakfast
  • Snack
  • Dessert
  • Sides
  • Gluten Free Living
  • Gluten Free Travel
  • Van Life
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Vibrantly G-Free
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Soups
  • One Pot
  • Baking
  • Meat and Fish
  • Celiac Resources
  • Breakfast
  • Snack
  • Dessert
  • Sides
  • Gluten Free Living
  • Gluten Free Travel
  • Van Life
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Meat and Fish

    Amazing Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings from scratch

    April 14, 2021 by Jamie · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings ready for serving with glaze and fresh zest.
    Overhead view of Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings ready for serving with glaze and fresh zest and lemon slices.
    A side view and serving view with a hand of air fryer lemon pepper wings plated for serving with fresh lemon zest.

    There's something about air fryer lemon pepper wings that I just keep coming back to. Maybe it's the secret ingredient that makes them extra crispy… or maybe it's the fresh lemon zest or sticky honey lemon glaze. Either way, I'll be making these over and over again because they never get old. Especially during the summer months or anytime I need a little sunshine!

    Side hero view of lemon pepper wings on a serving plate with fresh lemon zest sprinkled on top.
    Pin
    Share
    Pocket
    Tweet

    Why you'll love these Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings

    • The skin gets ultra crispy, thanks to our secret ingredient 
    • All ingredients are fresh and from scratch
    •  Only 8 ingredients
    •  Ready in 30 minutes
    •  Super zesty and bursting with flavor!
    Overhead view of lemon pepper wings on a bed of lemon slices for serving.

    Why make lemon pepper wings in the air fryer? 

    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 also cook quickly, so these 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 can also use in my camper van!

    Air Fryer Essentials:

    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer Lid
    • Tongs

    Related: Van Life Kitchen Essentials

    And a good pair of tongs will help protect your fingers when it's time to pull those tasty little morsels from the basket.

    Why is this ‘from scratch’ recipe better?

    Dried processed lemon zest doesn’t sound that tasty does it? At least not as tasty as the fresh zest you’ll use in this recipe! Do you even have it in your kitchen now? Why buy another spice when all you need is a lemon, black pepper and garlic powder?

    How do the wings get crispy? What’s the secret ingredient?

    Get ready to have your mind blown - the secret ingredient is baking powder! Do you remember when I told you that I used to be a science teacher? Or how about that my partner is a chemist?

    We brought out the science on this one! The baking powder in our spice mix helps to break down the fat in the chicken skin allowing it to get crispier then normal.  No batter needed, and you'll never miss it .

    Let’s make Air Fryer Lemon Pepper wings

    There are a few very important steps in this recipe. These are the ones you’ll want to get just right.

    Instructions

    Rinse and dry those chicken wings. Rinsing and drying the chicken wings makes the skin a little bit sticky. This helps it hold on to as much of the flavorful spice mix as possible.

    Mix the spices in a small bowl. Create a 'rub' by mixing the spices and baking powder in a small bowl.

    • Rinsed and dried chicken wings in a bowl.
      Chicken wings, rinsed and dried.
    • Spice rub.

    Coat the wings with spice rub. Press the skin-side only of the chicken wing in the spice rub. This gives lots of crispy flavor and prevents sticking to the air fryer basket. This also means you won't need to flip the wings mid way.

    If you choose to coat both sides, you'll need to double the spice rub recipe. However, you may want to keep the same pepper amount and simply double the other ingredients. My partner and I disagree on how peppery we like them.

    Place the wings in the air fryer. Place the wings skin-side up in the air fryer basket.

    • Close up of chicken wing with skin-side only coated with spice rub.
      Skin-side coated in spice mix.
    • 7 Lemon Pepper wings arranged in an air fryer basket, skin-side up.
      Skin-side up in an air fryer basket.

    Air Fry for 22 minutes at 400 degrees F. I choose not to flip them halfway because there was no difference when I did.

    Mix the glaze. Mix together the glaze ingredients. The starch really brings out the zesty lemon flavor!

    • Lemon Pepper wings crispy and finished in the air fryer basket.
      Crispy and cooked in the air fryer.
    • Honey Lemon Glaze mixed in a jar.
      Honey Lemon Glaze.

    Drizzle the glaze over the finished wings just before serving!

    Action shot of drizzling honey lemon glaze over finished air fryer lemon pepper wings.

    Voila -- Amazing, sticky, sweet and salty Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings! You won't be able to stop yourself from sneaking the first one off the plate 😉

    A hand picking up a lemon pepper wing from the serving plate.

    Air Fryer Lemon Pepper wings recipe

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Side hero view of lemon pepper wings on a serving plate with fresh lemon zest sprinkled on top.

    Amazing Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings from scratch


    ★★★★★

    5 from 3 reviews

    • Author: Jamie
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 3
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Super zesty and healthy Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings! They use only 8 real from-scratch ingredients. Ready in 30 minutes. Gluten-free, Paleo.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 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

    1. 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.
    2. 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. 
    3. 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.
    4. 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!

    Notes

    You can double the spice mix and coat both sides of the chicken wings for an extra kick. Note that they will be very peppery in this case (my partner loves this).

    Storage: Store wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.  I recommend refrigerating the wings before adding the glaze if possible. They will lose some of their crisp after refrigerating, though reheating them in the air fryer can help restore some of the original texture.

    • Prep Time: 8
    • Cook Time: 22
    • Category: Meat, Appetizer
    • Method: Air Fryer
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: air fryer chicken wings, chicken wings with dry rub, lemon pepper chicken wings

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @vibrantlygfree on Instagram and hashtag it #vibrantlygfree

    Hungry for more?

    Serve these lemon pepper wings with Cottage Fries and Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts.

    Or check out reader favorites and new recipes on our homepage <3

    Enjoy the bursts of zesty flavor my friend!

    xo, Jamie

    Pin
    Share
    Pocket
    Tweet
    « Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins
    Impossibly Authentic Dairy Free Tiramisu »

    Subscribe

    for email updates!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Molly

      April 30, 2021 at 4:03 pm

      Love the glaze and fresh zest! It's so tasty and crispy, and really easy to make.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Natalee

      September 03, 2021 at 6:06 pm

      Super yummy! I plan on fixing these as a quick dinner on school nights.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jamie

        September 07, 2021 at 5:39 pm

        They are the ultimate quick dinner treat! Enjoy them Natalee!

        Reply
    3. Marti

      September 09, 2021 at 9:19 am

      My boyfriend and I love these! Now that football season is here, I will probably be making these weekly!! 🙂

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Jamie

        September 15, 2021 at 1:36 pm

        I'm so glad you love them Marti! Thank you for the review!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    Hey Friend!

    Eating gluten free food made on a camp stove in my sprinter camper van

    Hi, I'm Jamie! I share tasty and simple gluten-free recipes made in my camper van. I also write tips for van life and gluten-free living.

    More about me →

    Currently Trending

    • Impossibly Authentic Dairy Free Tiramisu
    • Foolproof Gluten-Free French Baguette
    • How to go Gluten Free - 10 BEST tips for Beginners
    • Printable Gluten Free Grocery List + 10 Tips!

    Seasonal Favorites

    • Showstopper Gluten-Free Apple Coffee Cake
    • Dairy Free Swedish Meatballs
    • Savory Pumpkin Stew
    • Healthy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins with almond flour

    Footer

    About your recipe developer

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Former math and science teacher, now full-time blogger. I live in a converted sprinter van (#vanlife). Favorite things are hiking, traveling, and fresh berries. More about me →

    My Favorites

    Six gluten free strawberry muffins with chocolate chips and butter on the side.
    Side view of three squares of Christmas Rocky Road on a plate to show layers of chocolate, almonds, marshmallows, and pomegranate seeds.
    Side view of a skillet filled with vegan swedish meatballs in a buttery vegan gravy.

    Copyright © 2022 · Vibrantly g free