Dinner at the Zoo

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Lemon Chicken Wings

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These baked lemon chicken wings are brined, then roasted to crispy perfection. An easy dinner or appetizer option!

Chicken wings don’t have to be fried in order to be ultra crispy. This version uses a lemon and herb brine which adds tons of flavor and creates a super crispy wing.

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A basket of baked lemon chicken wings with a side of ranch.

Chicken. We eat a lot of it. The girls love chicken so I know that it’s usually a safe choice for dinner. I however crave more variety. When I was at the grocery store I spotted some nice looking chicken wings. On a whim, I decided to forgo our usual breast/thigh combo and buy wings instead, hoping that the girls would approve. Not only did they approve of my crispy lemon chicken wings, they loved them! This recipe is now part of our regular dinner rotation and the girls happily eat it every time.

How do you make lemon chicken wings?

These crispy lemon chicken wings are baked not fried, but you’d never know it because they come out of the oven super crispy. I use a simple lemon, honey and rosemary brine to flavor the chicken and it’s the ingredients in this brine that make the wings deep golden brown, almost caramelized.

Baked chicken wings with lemon wedges in a serving basket.

So here’s the deal: make the brine, drop the chicken wings in, come back a few hours later then roast at high heat and serve. I recommend my ranch dip on the side but you can certainly eat them plain too. I buy the party wings where they’re cut into two pieces, my girls eat all of the drumettes and leave the other pieces behind for me and my husband.

Lemon chicken wings on small plates.

If you’ve never tried brining chicken before, now is definitely the time to start. It adds so much flavor and moisture to the meat. That being said, it is possible to over brine your meat, so it’s important to stick to the time guidelines in the recipe. These crispy lemon chicken wings are a great choice for dinner and they also make a fun party appetizer. Who needs a deep fryer when you can bake your wings and get the same result?!

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These super crispy lemon chicken wings are baked not fried, the secret is in the special brine.
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5 from 2 votes

Lemon Chicken Wings

These crispy lemon chicken wings are baked not fried and are perfect served as a main course or appetizer. 
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword lemon chicken wings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 169kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds party style chicken wings or whole chicken wings that have been halved crosswise
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 3 garlic cloves smashed
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 lemon juiced plus the squeezed lemon pieces
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 8 cups water
  • cooking spray
  • 4-6 lemon wedges for serving
  • Ranch dip for serving optional

Instructions

  • Bring one cup of water to a boil (I use the microwave) and pour the water into a very large bowl. Add the salt and honey to the water and stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the garlic, bay leaf, rosemary and peppercorns to the bowl. Add the lemon juice and the squeezed lemon pieces. Pour 7 cups of very cold water over everything and stir until combined. Place the chicken wings in the brine, cover the bowl and put it into the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Remove the chicken wings from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the wings in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until wings are a deep golden brown. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and ranch dip if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 435mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 16g

Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

Comments

  1. Cate | Chez CateyLou says

    I can’t believe these are baked – they look so crispy!! These are the prettiest chicken wings I have ever seen – your styling looks amazing! And the chicken wings sound delicious – I can see why your girls love them!

    Reply

  4. Healing Tomato says

    Your pictures are magnificent and your recipes looks very good. I bet lemon makes all the difference

    Reply

  9. Momista Beginnings says

    Dang, these look amazing! And they sound super easy to make which any and every mom can appreciate (fist bump!). And your food photography is on point! Bravo to you! I’m definitely pinning this and coming back later to make these. -Misty

    Reply

  10. Miss Angie says

    I need this. Like right now. In my mouth.

    I love anything lemon, and crispy lemon chicken just seems like the best of all worlds. Pinned it!

    Reply

  11. Marlynn @UrbanBlissLife says

    I’ve never brined chicken wings before, and these look so delicious! I can’t believe they’re baked as well — they look so crispy, which is how I love my wings.

    Reply

  14. Ali Williams says

    I love lemon chicken. What a great idea to use it for wings! I’m going to make this soon. Thanks!

    Reply

  15. Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says

    We eat wings often, but I’ve never seen, let alone even tried, a lemon version! They look wonderful.

    Reply

  18. Lisa @ Low Carb Yum says

    Those look like they are cooked to perfection! I will have to try the brine next time I bake my wings.

    Reply

  19. Sarah says

    Filling these under things I have to try ASAP. Your pictures make my mouth water they look so good – pinning for later 🙂

    Reply

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