Zesty Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

I don't know who discovered that lemons and peppercorns went together, but man... I'm sure glad they did! This is an easy and flavorful wing recipe that you can use for game day, an appetizer, or ditch the wings and use on chicken breasts or thighs. Here's what you'll need to make about 4 servings:

Photo bySarah

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds chicken wings
• 1 Tbl olive oil
• 2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning *
• 1 ½ tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic minced, or half teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh thyme and parsley for garnish optional
• 3 Tbs melted butter
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

For Oven Method Only

• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbl flour

First, pat the chicken wings dry using paper towels.

Air Fryer Method:

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
2. Toss the wings with olive oil, lemon pepper, lemon zest, and garlic.
3. Arrange the wings in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Flip the wings and cook for another 10 minutes, or until they are crispy.
5. Toss the cooked wings with a mixture of melted butter and lemon juice. Season with additional pepper, salt to taste, and fresh thyme if desired. Serve immediately, and enjoy!!

Oven Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Coat the wings with flour and baking powder, then refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
3. Toss the chilled wings with olive oil, lemon pepper, lemon zest, and garlic.
4. Line a baking pan with foil and place a baking rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with cooking spray.
5. Arrange the wings on the rack and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the wings and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until they are crispy. If desired, broil each side for 1 minute to enhance crispiness.
6. Mix butter with lemon juice and toss with the baked wings. Season with extra pepper, salt to taste, and fresh thyme if you like. Serve immediately and enjoy!

* Notes:

• Some lemon pepper seasonings can be quite salty. Taste your seasoning before adding it to the wings, and adjust the amount if necessary.
• When using an air fryer, you can skip the flour and baking powder.