Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings

5 from 4 votes

Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings

Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings are baked at high heat for 45 minutes rendering the excess fat, for the crispiest, lemony, sweet, and spicy wings. They are covered in a lemon black pepper dry rub, baked, and drizzled in a hot honey sauce made with Frank's Red Hot, butter, and honey.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Resting Time1

Total Time1 55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 315kcal

Author: Lauren Skardal

Ingredients

Lemon Pepper Wings

2 lbs chicken wings (choose meaty ones)
zest of 1 lemon ** see note above about lemon pepper substitute
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoon baking powder

Hot Honey Sauce

2 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

Place the chicken wings in a large mixing bowl, add the lemon zest, black pepper (or substitute lemon pepper spice for lemon zest and black pepper), and baking powder. Mix to combine. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
The following day, preheat the oven to 450℉.
Place the wings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
Using tongs or a thin, stiff spatula, scrape and flip over each of the wings. Bake for another 15 minutes.
Flip the wings again, then bake for a final 15 minutes, for a total baking time of 45 minutes.
While the wings are baking in the oven, prepare the sauce. Place the Frank's Red Hot, butter, and honey in a small to medium-sized microwavable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds or until the butter is melted. Stir to combine.
When the wings are out of the oven, place them in a large bowl. Drizzle with sauce and toss to coat the wings evenly. Or serve plain with the sauce on the side for dipping. Serve while hot.

Notes

Buyin Chicken Wings:
- Look for wings that appear to have a large amount of meat on the bone.
- If possible, find drumettes that are separated from the middle flat segment. This will simplify the work that you need to do in the kitchen. Otherwise, use a sharp knife to separate them.
Overnight Prep: Prepping the wings the night before (with only 10 minutes of prep time) is helpful for crispy wings, but they can be made the day of if you run short on time.
Adjust the Baking Time: The baking time below is for average-sized chicken wings. Meatier wings will take longer in the oven, and smaller ones will take less time. Keep an eye on the wings and take them out when they are quite crispy, adding or reducing time if needed.
Do Not Crowd the Pan: The more crowded the pan, the less likely the wings will get crispy.
Metal Spatula or Tongs: Use a thin metal spatula or a pair of tongs to scrape the wings and flip them over between baking.
Lemon Pepper: Use real lemon zest and freshly cracked pepper for best results, but using the premade Lemon Pepper Spice, which can be found in the spice section of many grocery stores, can certainly save time and energy.
All about Buffalo wings: A great resource for all things Buffalo Wings is The Buffalo New York Cookbook by Arthur Bovino, where he discusses frying, baking, the origin of Buffalo wings, and the story behind Frank's Red Hot.

Nutrition