Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings

Can you make these wings in the oven?

Yes, the hot honey lemon pepper wings will take a lot longer in the oven than the air fryer though.

Line a baking sheet with foil and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for up to one hour until crispy. Flip every 20 minutes to be sure all sides get evenly crispy. Bake un-sauced and sauce per instructions. 

How hot are these wings?

On a scale of mild to hot, I’d put these hot honey lemon pepper wings at medium. Do keep in mind my medium may be different than yours. If you want to lower the heat use 1/2 Tbsp. of hot honey and up the syrup by 1 Tbsp. 

What kind of air fryer do you use?

I have the COSORI Air Fryer Oven Combo 5.8QT Max XL Large Cooker, linked here. I do find it is pretty loud in the kitchen but it gets the job done and makes perfect hot honey lemon pepper wings. We have had it for years without any issues.

We use our air fryer all the time for recipes like Air Fryer Blackened Chicken and Air Fryer Halibut.

Ingredients and Substitutes:

These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings.

Wings: for this recipe I am using a combination of drums and flats, but feel free to use whichever you prefer. You can use fresh chicken wings or frozen wings, but make sure to thaw them first if using frozen. This sauce is great on boneless too so be sure to try that on breaded or grilled boneless chicken. Season your chicken with the lemon pepper prior to cooking. 

Lemon Pepper: the lemon pepper gives the wings the perfect tang. I am using Mrs. Dash but you can use any brand you can find or even make your own. 

Hot Sauce: Franks Red Hot Sauce is my go to for recipes like this. It’s delicious, has a great consistency and is easy to find. You can substitute with your favorite hot sauce. 

Mike’s Hot Honey: if you’ve never tried Mike’s Hot Honey, now is the time! We love this stuff on anything. It’s great drizzled on top of pizzas, with crackers and cheese and definitely amazing with these delicious hot honey lemon pepper wings. If you can’t find Mike’s Hot Honey look for any “hot honey” in your local store. To lower the heat use 1/2 Tbsp. vs 1 full Tbsp. and up the syrup. 

Light Pancake Syrup: you can substitute with plain honey or maple syrup, nutrition facts will change. To lower the heat, up the syrup and only use 1/2 Tbsp. of honey, this will make your wings sweeter with a hint of spice.  

Butter: unsalted or salted works for this recipe but I would not suggest omitting. 

Lemon: to make the sauce, you’ll need the 1 tsp. of lemon juice. You can use fresh or the store bought container. However, I highly suggest lemon zest on the wings at the end so opt for fresh! 

Step by step instructions for hot honey lemon pepper wings in the air fryer

Pre heat your air fryer. 

Prep your chicken

Pat the wings completely dry with a paper towel. This will help them get crispy while cooking. If using full wings be sure to cut the drum and wing from each other. 

Season with dry rub

Season the wings generously with salt and 3 Tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning. Be sure to coat all sides of the wings. The wings are cooked dry, without sauce. 

Cook the wings

Spray the air fryer pan with non stick spray and add the wings in a single layer, not overlapping. You may need to do the wings in multiple batches.

Air fry the wings at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 mins. Flip and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes until extra crispy. Repeat the steps for the second batch. 

Prep the sauce

After you flip the wings start making your sauce. In a small sauce pan add all the ingredients and bring to a boil. Be sure to stir often so the sides of the sauce do not burn. Once the sauce is boiling bring to simmer and let simmer until ready to toss the wings.

Sauce your wings

Remove the wings from the air fryer and place in a large bowl. Pour the sauce on top and remove the wings to serve. Pour remaining sauce over top of the wings.

Optional but a suggested delicious addition, add lemon zest and finely chopped parsley to the wings. Serve with ranch on the side of drizzled on top and enjoy your Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings.

What to serve with these wings

Serve hot honey lemon pepper wings with sliced veggies like celery and carrots for a appetizer or with fries as a meal. Definitely add a side of ranch for dipping, however these wings are amazing without dipping. 

If you like this recipe be sure to check out some of our other easy air fryer recipes!

• Air Fryer Halibut
• Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
• Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
• Air Fryer Carrots and Potatoes
• Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs