Lemon Pepper Wings Air Fryer Recipe (+Video)

Name: Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 pound whole chicken wings; 2 tablespoons melted coconut or olive oil; 1 teaspoon salt; 1½ teaspoons pepper; zest from ½ lemon; juice from ½ lemon

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Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings are tangy and delicious with a tropical twist! Only 6 ingredients and less than 20 minutes of cooking time, and you've got yourself some easy, tasty wings! These chicken wings are gluten-free, sugar-free, paleo, low carb, and keto. Perfect for the whole family!

White rectangle platter piled with lemon pepper wings garnished with lemon slices and ground pepper

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Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings

"I've always loved the combination of zesty lemon and spicy pepper. These chicken wings are tossed in coconut oil for a tropical taste. They're also super easy to make for a quick snack or dinner! Enjoy!" -Kori 🙂

I'm all about chicken wings in the air fryer! Be sure to try these Garlic Parmesan Wings Air Fryer Recipe and Fajita Spiced Chicken Wings. Lemon lovers will love this Greek Lemon Chicken Soup too!

Quick and Easy

This lemon pepper wings recipe takes only 6 ingredients and less than 20 minutes in your air fryer - you'll be enjoying these wings in a jiffy! Cooking is as simple as coating the wings with the seasonings, then adding them to the basket, and then spraying with olive oil spray.

Cleanup is a Breeze

Lemon pepper air fryer wings are not only simple to make, but they're easy to clean up. The beauty of cooking in your air fryer is that cooking is a lot less messy than traditional frying. There's no oil to add or store after cooking. Most air fryers, including my Ninja Foodi, have non-stick baskets, so cleanup is a breeze.

Healthy Chicken Wings

Air fryer lemon pepper wings use whole ingredients, and no sugar is added, making it Whole30, paleo, gluten-free, sugar-free, low carb, and keto. Ta-da - so good no one will even realize they're eating something healthy! 🙂

Lemon Pepper Wings Air Fryer Ingredients

An image of the ingredients needed to make lemon pepper wings - wings, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon rind, salt, and pepper

Here are the ingredients you will need to make Air Fryer lemon pepper wings:

Chicken Wings - you can use wingettes too, but the time will need to be decreased slightly. See the recipe card below for instructions.
Olive Oil or Coconut Oil - use either olive oil or coconut oil but using coconut oil will give these wings a tropical taste!
Lemon Juice - fresh squeezed please
Lemon Rind - freshly grated rind has the best flavor
Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper - freshly grated ground pepper tastes best
Optional - lemon wedges

How To Make Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings

Coat the Chicken

Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees F for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, toss chicken wings with oil, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.

Note: if you use coconut oil, melt it first so it coats the chicken pieces better. The oil will harden again once it's on the cold chicken, but that's okay. Just place the wings in air fryer and continue on cooking.

If you want, you can do this step the day before. Place them in an airtight container or plastic bag until you're ready to cook the next day.

Air Fry the Wings

Air fry for 20 to 25 minutes or until done, giving them a quick toss every 5 to 8 minutes or so.

Remember to watch your wings the first time you make these. There is a variance in cooking temperatures and times between air fryers! I have three models, and they all cook slightly differently.

Toss with Lemon Juice

Remove wings from the fryer and toss with lemon juice.

Sprinkle with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice if desired.

Serve on a platter and garnish with lemon slices.

How To Serve

Here are a few delicious ideas of what to serve with your air fryer lemon pepper wings:

Enjoy these as a game day snack, party food, or as a main dish. They also make a great leftover lunch (if there are any left).

Try our Creamy Dill Dressing or Tzatziki sauce as a dip for the wings!

A fresh green side salad with a simple dressing is always a great option.

If serving for dinner, here are two easy side dishes that go really well with lemon pepper wings: Greek Salad and Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad.

Variations

Here are some different ways you can make substitutions or customize your lemon pepper wings:

Using coconut oil will give these wings a tropical taste! Don't use the unflavored variety, though. Use cold-pressed and unrefined.
Substitute different seasonings. An even quicker way to make these wings is to use a lemon pepper seasoning. If you choose a seasoning with salt added, like cajun seasoning, taco seasoning, etc., you do not need to add extra salt. If the seasoning is unsalted (like Italian seasoning, herbs de Provence), add 1/2 tsp salt.
Make a lemon pepper buffalo wing by tossing or dipping wings in your favorite buffalo sauce.
Toss with 1 to 2 tablespoons finely grated cheese after cooking.
Serve with a sprinkle with fresh parsley or cilantro and some additional lemon juice.

Top Tips

Each air fryer is a little different so adjust your cooking times as needed. There is a variance in cooking temperatures and times between air fryers! I have three models, and they all cook a little differently.
Typically you don't want to overlap your pieces, but I found that as long as I toss the chicken every 5 to 8 minutes until they are done, they come out perfect every time.
As a general rule of thumb, chicken is done when the juices run clear and are no longer pink. If you are unsure or want to be really accurate, use an instant-read thermometer to check. The USDA recommends cooking chicken to 165-degrees F.

FAQs

How do I reheat chicken wings in air fryer?

To reheat your wings in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F. Place wings in the air fryer and heat for 3-5 minutes until the desired temperature is reached.

Can you cook frozen wings in air fryer?

Yes, you can cook frozen wings in your air fryer! Here's how:

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees and add the frozen chicken wings.
Cook for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from fryer, break the chicken apart, and sprinkle with dry rub.

Reduce heat to 360, place wings back in the fryer and continue cooking 18 to 20 more minutes, or until wings are cooked through and the desired crispiness is reached.

Note: each air fryer is a little different so adjust your cooking times as needed.

What temperature should wings be cooked to?

Chicken wings should be cooked to 165 degrees F. The USDA recommends cooking chicken to 165-degrees F.

Can I use wingettes instead of whole wings?

You can use wingettes instead of whole wings. Decrease the cooking time to 15 to 20 minutes, or until done.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes! Definitely. Coat the chicken in the oil and seasoning, then store in an air-tight container or plastic bag until ready for cooking. You can also pre-cook the chicken and reheat later if needed. Instruction for reheating is below.

Lemon pepper wings served on a white platter and garnished with lemon slices and ground pepper.

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings Recipe

Tangy and delicious wings with a tropical twist! Super easy to make in your air fryer. The best part? Only take 6 ingredients, and less than 20 minutes and you're done!

5 from 1 vote

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Author Kori Butler

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Course Chicken

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 257 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees F.
In a large bowl toss wings with oil, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
Air fry for 20 to 25 minutes or until done, turning every 5 to 8 minutes or so.
Remove wings from fryer and toss with lemon juice.
Serve on a platter. Sprinkle with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice to your liking.

Video

Kori's Tips

Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!

Each air fryer is a little different so adjust your cooking times as needed.

Using coconut oil will give these wings a tropical taste, olive oil will not. Don't use the unflavored coconut oil. Melt the coconut oil first so it coats the chicken pieces better. Note that it will harden again once it's on the chicken, but that's okay. Just place the wings in air fryer and continue on cooking.

Typically you don't want to overlap your pieces, but I found that as long as I toss the chicken every 5 to 8 minutes until they are done, they come out perfect every time.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Garnish with lemon slices and even some fresh parsley. Want a tasty dipping sauce? Try our Creamy Dill Sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcalCarbohydrates: 1.7gProtein: 6.2gFat: 20.1gCholesterol: 95.4mgSodium: 782.6mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.4g

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