Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings

Lemon Pepper Wings in the air fryer are crispy with a sweet and spicy flavor that’s savory and fun.

Chicken wings are a big deal in our house. My husband is from Buffalo, so our wings must be perfect for him to enjoy.

Thankfully, the air fryer is great at making crispy homemade chicken wings and these air fryer lemon pepper wings do not disappoint. They’re the best I’ve ever eaten!

This recipe uses both a dry rub and a wet honey lemon butter sauce to bring out the true lemon pepper flavor with all easy ingredients.

And it’s completely low-carb and keto!

In this post I will show you:

• How to make Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings
• How many chicken wings you can cook at one time in your air fryer
• How to use just the dry rub or wet butter sauce on their own
• How to cook frozen chicken wings in the air fryer
• How to reheat chicken wings in the air fryer

Love chicken wings? Check out our Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings recipe made with our special secret 5-minute homemade buffalo sauce!

And check out our big list of the best air fryer chicken wings recipes!

How to Make Lemon Pepper Wings in the Air Fryer

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees.

STEP TWO:  Trim or separate wings at the join if needed, creating a flat and drumette per chicken wing. Discard the tips.

I love to save time and buy the precut and trimmed chicken wings so I can just toss them with the dry rub and cook!

STEP THREE: Pat the chicken wings dry. The drier the chicken wings are, the crispier they can get in the air fryer!

STEP FOUR:  Coat the chicken wings with the lemon pepper seasoning and cayenne pepper. You can use a little extra cayenne pepper if you prefer hot and spicy wings.

STEP FIVE: Place the lemon pepper chicken wings in the air fryer and cook them for about 20-22 minutes. Allow an extra 3 to 5 minutes if using an air fryer oven.

Shake the basket or flip the chicken wings halfway through cooking to ensure an even crispy outside.

STEP SIX:  Increase the temperature to 400 degrees and cook the chicken wings until they get a nice crispy outside, about another 4 to 5 minutes.

If the lemon pepper seasoning starts to darken, you can pull the chicken wings out or lower the temperature back to 380 degrees and cook until they reach 165 degrees internally.

STEP SEVEN: In a medium-sized bowl, mix the melted butter, lemon pepper seasoning, and honey in a bowl.

STEP EIGHT: Remove the lemon pepper wings from the air fryer and drizzle the lemon honey wet butter sauce on top and enjoy!

How Many Chicken Wings Can I Cook at One Time in an Air Fryer?

The amount of chicken wings that can be cooked at the same time depends on the size of your air fryer.

To get your chicken wings nice and crispy on the outside, you will want to place just enough chicken wings to cook in one layer.

They can be slightly touching but should never overlap.

I love cooking my chicken wings in my 6.8 QT Dual Blaze Cosori Air Fryer. The square basket gives extra room to cook the amount provided in this recipe while keeping the air fryer lemon pepper wings nice and crispy.

If you’re using a smaller air fryer, you will need to cook the chicken wings in batches. After all the chicken wings are cooked, just throw them back into the air fryer for an additional 2-3 minutes before adding the wet sauce to heat them back up.

How Can I Get the Chicken Wings Nice and Crispy?

This air fryer lemon pepper chicken wing recipe uses a technique to make sure the skin gets extra crispy without using any cornstarch or breading.

About 5 minutes before the chicken wings are done, simply turn the air fryer up to 400 degrees and cook until the skins are nice and golden brown.

This helps crisp the skins up creating that nice crispy texture you love.

Are These Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Wings Keto?

Yes! This recipe is keto-friendly as is with just 2 grams of carbs per serving.

While this recipe includes honey, it uses a minimal amount, which is allowed in a low-carb or keto diet.

Don’t want to add the honey? No problem! Simply remove the honey from the recipe and it will still taste delicious! I’ve tested it both with and without the honey.

While I prefer the added sweetness, the version without the honey was still amazing.

Why Is There a Dry Rub and a Wet Sauce? Do I Need to Use Both?

I love using this lemon pepper wings recipe because the combination of the two flavors works perfectly together to create the perfect wing.

But no, you do not need to use both. Here are a few ways to use this recipe:

• Just use the dry rub with lemon pepper seasoning on the wings and eat them up as soon as they come out of the air fryer!
  
  If you’re using a whole30 compliant seasoning, this method will make a whole30 approved chicken wing.

• Cook your wings with just a little salt and pepper on them for seasoning then toss them in the honey lemon wet sauce after they’re done cooking (this method works great for frozen chicken wings below). Add in a pinch of cayenne pepper for added spiciness.

• Use the dry rub and the wet sauce without the honey for a less sweetened variety. I prefer the added honey for a flavor boost.

How to Cook Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer

Since seasoning cannot stick to frozen chicken wings, these lemon pepper wings can be tossed in just the wet sauce listed for a delicious air fryer appetizer.

I recommend using fresh chicken wings, but air frying them from frozen is still completely possible and delicious using the method below!

1. Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees.
2. Place the frozen chicken wings in the air fryer and cook for about 25 minutes, shaking the basket or flipping the chicken wings twice throughout cooking.
3. Increase the temperature to 400 degrees and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken wings from the air fryer and cover them in the wet lemon pepper sauce included in this recipe. Feel free to add a little cayenne pepper for an added kick!

PRO TIP: Do not use any bread under the basket to catch the wet moisture when cooking frozen chicken wings. The bread will stick to the air fryer basket. Instead, carefully drain any liquid in the basket halfway through cooking if needed.

Can You Air Fry Leftover Wings?

Yes! And I love reheating them in the air fryer! This method works with any flavor chicken wing.

If you’ve already added the sauce, I recommend using an air fryer pan or a parchment round under the chicken wings to make for easier cleanup.

1. Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the leftover chicken wings for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed.
3. Remove them from the air fryer and enjoy!

Other Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love:

• Air Fryer Boneless Wings
• BBQ Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer
• Chicken Wings in the Ninja Foodi
• The Best Air Fryer Appetizers
• Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer Turkey Wings
• 40 Delicious Air Fryer Chicken Recipes to Try