Make Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings for the perfect summer appetizer. These lemon pepper wings are so easy to make and bursting with flavor.
Quick
Minimal prep
You’ll Learn: The perfect rotation timing for evenly crispy wings
Worth It: Skip the marinade and get right to grilling
Bonus: Reheats well in an air fryer
Make delicious lemon pepper wings on the grill with crispy skin
This grilled lemon pepper chicken recipe is one of my favorite summer recipes. They are simple, yet extremely flavorful and satisfying.
The trick to getting the skin nice and crispy on these grilled chicken wings is to not let them burn and char. You want to cook them on a medium-high grill and watch to be sure the grill flames do not flare up. If the grill is to hot reduce the heat to closer to medium.
Once you have the right grill temp, be sure to rotate and flip the wings every 3 minutes. This method allows the natural fat in the wing skin to render and crisp. Toss the wings in the lemon pepper butter sauce while they are still warm so that the skin retains a crisp.
What kitchen tools will I need to make these healthy grilled wings?
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Tongs for grilling
- Grill or grill pan
- Mixing bowl for tossing in sauce
- Microplane or zesting tool
- Dish to bring the chicken out to the grill
- Meat thermometer for checking internal temperature
If you do not have a gas grill or a charcoal grill, cook this grilled lemon pepper chicken recipe inside on a grill pan.
Serving suggestions
I like to serve these lemon pepper wings as an appetizer for summer gatherings. If you want to serve them as an entree, there are many side dishes that would taste wonderful with the lemon pepper flavor.
You can use grill pan and grill some green veggies to serve with the wings. I like to grill things like broccoli, asparagus and green beans.
You could also serve them with a simple green salad and roasted potatoes.
ingredients
You will be amazed at how easy it is to make these crispy and flavorful lemon pepper wings on your grill
- Chicken wings separated into flats and drumettes
- Salt
- Fresh crack black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Spray avocado oil or spray extra virgin olive oil
- Butter or ghee (use ghee if on Whole30)
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Dijon mustard
ingredient substitutions
The wonderful thing about chicken recipes is that the type of chicken used can be switched out. You can use this same method for boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces.
To save time you can use a lemon pepper seasoning blend in place of the dry seasonings listed here. There is not need to use a marinade for this chicken, but there are ways to infuse extra lemon flavor into them like using a lemon pepper seasoning.
If you want, sprinkle fresh herbs over the grilled lemon pepper chicken. I like to use some minced chives, parsley, or rosemary.
If you’re looking for a classic buffalo wing recipe, try these air fryer buffalo wings.
How to make Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Step 1: Season wings with dry rub
To begin, remove the wings from the refrigerator and pat down with paper towels. Spray lightly with avocado oil or brush on a light layer of oil with a food bush.
Then, combine 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder in a small bowl. Season wings on all sides with the seasoning mixture.
Step 2: Grill wings
Next, preheat grill to medium-high heat – be sure to clean the grates before cooking. Then, place chicken on the warm grill grate. If your grill runs hot and you are seeing a lot of flames flare up, reduce the heat. We don’t want to burn the wings.
Then, cook the wings for 15-20 minutes in a closed grill rotating every 3 minutes. The constant rotation will allow the skin to crisp without burning. Remove the wings from the grill when the internal temp reaches 170F.
Step 3: Toss wings in lemon pepper sauce
Then, while the wings are still warm from the grill, prepare the sauce by combining melted butter or ghee, lemon juice, lemon zest, dijon mustard and 1 tsp cracked pepper in a small bowl. Finally, toss the wings in this sauce and enjoy! You can use the excess sauce for dipping as you eat
Storage and reheating
These wings are best enjoyed immediately to keep the skin crispy. If you wanted to save them and reheat them, allow them to cool completely and then store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat in the oven on broil or in an air fryer.
Check out these other delicious grilling recipes!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken wings separated into flats and drumettes
- Spray avocado oil
- 2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper 1 tsp for dry rub, 1 tsp for sauce
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup melted butter or ghee
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Remove wings from the refrigerator and pat down with paper towels
- Spray lightly with avocado oil or brush on a light layer of oil with a food bush
- Combine 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder in a small bowl
- Season wings on all sides with the seasoning mixture
- Preheat grill to med-high heat
- Place seasoned wings on the warm grill – if your grill runs hot and you are seeing a lot of flames flare up, reduce the heat. We don’t want to burn the wings
- Cook the wings for 15-20 minutes in a closed grill rotating every 3 minutes – the constant rotation will allow the skin to crisp without burning
- Remove the wings from the grill when the internal temp reaches 170F
- While the wings are still warm from the grill prepare the sauce by combining melted butter or ghee, lemon juice, lemon zest, dijon mustard and 1 tsp cracked pepper in a small bowl
- Toss the wings in this sauce and enjoy! You can use the excess sauce for dipping as you eat
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Leave a Reply