Hot Lemon Pepper Wings are baked in the oven yet they come out so crispy that it’s hard to believe that they aren’t deep fried. Tossed in a classic Buffalo sauce and served with a side of blue cheese dip (or ranch) and celery sticks. If you love Buffalo Wild Wings, you will love this recipe.
Ingredients for wings:
- 4 pounds chicken wings
Ingredients for Dry Rub:
- 4 tsp Lemon Pepper seasoning (e.g homemade, Weber, Kinder, Traeger, McCormick, Buffalo Wild Wings, etc.)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- kosher salt / cooking salt to taste (not table salt, unless absolutely necessary)
Ingredients for Crispy Coating:
- 5 tsp baking powder (not baking soda)
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt / cooking salt (not table salt, unless absolutely necessary)
Ingredients for Sauce:
- 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3-4 tsp lemon zest (use 4 tsp for more bold lemon flavor)
- 1 cup hot sauce (Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce)
- 4 Tbsp butter
Instructions
- Dry overnight (optional) – if planning ahead, lay the wings on a rack (cooling rack) on a rimmed baking tray. Let them dry uncovered in the fridge overnight. Pat dry with paper towels as needed to eliminate moisture.
- Add Dry Rub: morning of, mix ingredients for Dry Rub and evenly coat wings. Return wings to rack & fridge.
- Remove wings from fridge 30-60 minutes prior to cooking.
- Preheat oven to 250F. Put one shelf in the lower quarter of the oven and one in the top quarter of the oven.
- Line a rimmed baking tray with foil. Put a baking rack on the tray and spray the rack with oil.
- Crispy Coating: place the wings in a large bowl. Mix baking powder and salt, sprinkle over the wings. Use hands to toss well to coat wings evenly (or shake in a resealable bag)
- Place the wings skin side up on the rack. Bake on the lower shelf in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Move the tray up to the higher shelf and turn the oven up to 450F. Bake for a further 30 minutes rotating the tray halfway through. Do not turn the wings. They will be done when dark golden brown and the skin is very crispy. (Note: after rotating, check the wings periodically until the internal temperature is 165 F. Insert meat thermometer into the thickest area of the wing being careful to avoid the bone).
- Make Sauce: While the wings are cooking, heat a saucepan on medium-high heat. Add the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and hot sauce. Cook 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is incorporated. Let simmer (or turn off)
- Remove the chicken from the oven and drizzle the wings in the hot lemon butter sauce. Ensure all of the chicken is coated. Reserve some sauce for dipping if you want. (Optional: if you like the wings to soak in the sauce, please the sauced wings back onto the tray and bake for an additional 5 minutes at 450F).
Serve immediately with preferred dipping sauce (Blue Cheese, Ranch, Buffalo) and celery sticks.
