Sticky Honey Lemon Pepper Wings with Garlic Honey Butter Glaze
These Honey Lemon Pepper Wings are sweet, citrusy, garlicky, and absolutely irresistible! Crispy baked chicken wings get tossed in a sticky garlic honey butter glaze with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon pepper seasoning. Easy to make in the oven or air fryer — perfect for game day watch parties, weeknight dinners, or anytime you're craving wings!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 534kcal
Equipment
- air fryer (these can also be made in the oven!)
Ingredients
Wings
- 3 pounds chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon oil any neutral oil
- 4 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning preferably salt-free
- 2-3 teaspoons kosher salt use less if your lemon pepper seasoning has salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Garlic Honey Butter Glaze
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- 10 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup honey 6 ounces, to taste
- 2-4 tablespoons hot sauce to taste
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1-2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest zest of 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- If using the air fryer, preheat to 400°F. Prepare the air fryer basket or trays with aluminum foil or non-stick spray if needed. If using your oven, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat to 425°F. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, toss the chicken wing sections with oil, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Make sure all sides are evenly coated.3 pounds chicken wings, 1 tablespoon oil, 4 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning, 2-3 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Spread the wings on air fryer trays or a parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping them in as close to a single layer as you can. Bake or air fry until golden brown and crispy, flipping halfway through. Air fryer: 25–30 minutes. Oven: 45–60 minutes. Make sure the wings reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
- While the wings cook, make the garlic honey butter glaze. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and stir constantly for 5–7 minutes to gently infuse the butter with garlic flavor without burning it. The garlic will mellow out completely, giving you a sweet, rich flavor all through the sauce.½ cup unsalted butter, 10 cloves garlic
- Add the honey, hot sauce, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and simmer gently for a couple of minutes. Don't let the mixture boil.½ cup honey, 2-4 tablespoons hot sauce, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Toss the crispy wings in the garlic honey butter glaze until every wing is coated. Serve immediately with the remaining sauce for drizzling, and an extra drizzle of honey over top if desired. Serve with our Wingstop ranch for the ultimate dipping sauce! Enjoy!
Notes
- Lemon zest: 1 tablespoon is about the zest of 1 lemon. Always zest your lemon before juicing it — much easier!
- Storage: Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the air fryer or oven to re-crisp.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked wings in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Keeps up to 3 months. Wings will lose some crispiness in the freezer.
- For extra crispy oven wings: Toss the wings with 1 teaspoon of baking powder per pound of wings along with the dry seasonings.
- Spicier wings: Increase the hot sauce and/or drizzle with homemade hot honey when serving for a hot honey lemon pepper wing variation!
- Boneless: This garlic honey butter glaze is incredible on boneless wings or chicken tenders too — just adjust cooking time accordingly.
Nutrition
Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 1082mg | Potassium: 292mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 821IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg