Thanks to appetizing recipes like this hot honey lemon pepper wings recipe, all you need is a few easy to find ingredients and a baking sheet.
This simple and straightforward recipe yields crispy chicken wings that are coated with an irresistible hot and spicy lemon pepper sauce(with the bold tangy flavors with a mild kick of heat).
Every bite ensures a combination of complex flavors and textures.
Why I often make this hot honey lemon pepper chicken wings?
This hot honey lemon pepper wings is a perfect crowd pleasing appetizer, a must add on to your chicken recipes for your forthcoming game day, family gathering or on the special locations.
After trying multiple times, my family acknowledges this as one of the best hot and sweet chicken wings recipes in the world. And I appreciate this recipe for its hussle free procedure for making(like this honey Sriracha shrimp).
And top of that this recipe is highly customizable same as this lime garlic chicken.
If you prefer the chicken wings to be hot and spicy, increase the volume of cayenne pepper or think of adding Sriracha sauce(like this honey Sriracha sauce). On the other hand, if you prefer this hot honey lemon pepper wings to be with a subtle heat, try skipping the canned pepper altogether from the recipe(similar to this hot honey sauce).
To make this recipe as simple as possible I have minimized the ingredients but never compromised with the overall taste of this hot and sweet lemon pepper wings.
The ingredients needed for this recipe
Chicken wings. Pat dry the chicken wings before marinating. The moisture in the chicken determines the crispiness of the chicken wings. Hence remove the moisture as far as possible.
Baking powder. Baking powder makes the chicken wings crispy and golden brown. Prefer choosing an aluminum free version.
Honey. This gives the body to this spicy honey lemon pepper wings sauce and also works as a binding agent that coats chicken wings evenly. I highly advise you to add honey without substituting with other sweeteners.
Hot sauce. I have used Frank's original hot sauce. Feel free to use the hot sauce you use regularly in the kitchen.
Lemon juice. Apart from adding a bright, refreshing flavor, it also thickens and emulsifies the sauce.
Ground black pepper. Freshly crushed black pepper provides an intense flavor.
Garlic powder. Black pepper and garlic compliments each other. And it works great in this hot honey lemon pepper chicken wings recipe as well.
How to make hot honey lemon pepper wings?
Prepping the Chicken wings
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place a baking sheet over the kitchen counter and line it with the parchment paper. And set aside.
Pat dry the chicken wings using a kitchen towel. Make sure they are completely dried. The drier they are, the crispier the chicken wings will be.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients like baking powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, salt, crushed black pepper.
Add the chicken wings. And toss until the chicken wings are evenly coated with the spice mix.
For Baking
Arrange the chicken wings in the baking sheet in a single layer, without crowding or staking.
Bake it for about 45 minutes or until the edges of the chicken wings turn golden brown and crispy. Make a note that cooking time varies between 45 minutes to one hour depending on the size of the wings and the type of oven.
Remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
On the other hand you may also try these hot honey lemon pepper wings in the air fryer.
For the hot honey lemon pepper sauce
Now, in a large mixing bowl, add all the wet ingredients-honey, hot sauce, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt.
Whisk well until all the ingredients combine together.
Add chicken wings to the bowl and toss them until the sauce coats the chicken wings evenly.
Serve it with spicy ranch or with your favorite choice of dipping sauce and ENJOY!
Serving suggestions for hot honey lemon pepper wings
As a standalone dish. These hot honey lemon pepper chicken wings are great to serve as an appetizer or as a main dish. Think of serving with an unbeatable combination of ranch. This jalapeno ranch is our family’s first preference.
With vegetables. Carrots, celery sticks, or iceberg lettuce balances the hot chicken wings.
Steamed vegetables. Steamed broccoli, cauliflower, spring beans, and beets work well too.
With salad. Garden salad, coleslaw, cucumber salad, avocado salad, or potato salad tastes excellent along with the spicy chicken wings.
How to store?
Make sure the hot honey lemon pepper chicken wings are at room temperature before refrigerating or freezing. If not allow 10-30 minutes to cool down to room temperature.
Refrigerate. Store them in an airtight container without crowinding. And refrigerate them to use within 2-3 days.
Freezer. Transfer the hot lemon pepper wings to a freezer safe resealable bags or containers. And store them in the freezer to use within 3 months.
To thaw. Allow them in the refrigerator overnight. Or gently defrost it in the microwave.
To reheat. Reheat in the 400 degrees Fahrenheit-preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes or until the hot honey lemon pepper wings center turns warm. Check the doneness using the meat thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the chicken wings are safe for eating.
Hot honey lemon pepper wings
Ingredients
For Baking
- 2 lbs chicken wings halved at joints and wingtips discarded
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper crushed
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup hot sauce
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Prepping
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Pat dry the chicken wings thoroughly using a kitchen towel.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add baking powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, salt, crushed black pepper.
- Add the chicken wings. And toss until the chicken wings are evenly coated with the spice mix.
- Arrange it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Baking
- Arrange the chicken wings in the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake it for about 45 minutes or until the edges of the chicken wings turn golden brown and crispy.
- Remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
Sauce
- Now, in a large mixing bowl, add honey, hot sauce, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt.
- Whisk well until all the ingredients combine together.
- Add chicken wings to the bowl and toss them until the sauce coats the chicken wings evenly.
- Serve it with spicy ranch or with your favorite choice of dipping sauce and ENJOY!
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