Can I make these wings less spicy?

This recipe for hot honey lemon pepper wings is totally customizable. If you want more heat, either add more hot sauce or less sweet chili sauce. I always taste any sauce or marinade before I add the meat and adjust as needed.

Can I make lemon pepper seasoning from scratch?

Yes you can. Mix together lemon zest from 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. I use a mini grated to zest the lemon. You can also double, triple etc the recipe and store in a sealed container in your pantry for up to 3 months

Hot Honey Lemon Pepper Wings ⋆ Deb's Daily Dish

Description

These hot honey lemon pepper wings are crispy and layered with so much flavor. Coated with a seasoned dry rub and then covered in a sweet and spicy honey lemon sauce. Healthier than take-out, they are baked, not fried and this recipe offers a sugar free sauce option.

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 pounds whole chicken wings (about 16)

Dry Rub

4 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning (reserve 1 teaspoon for garnish)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Hot honey Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup hot sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's brand)*
1/4 cup honey*
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce* (I used G.Hughes sugar free sauce)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Combine the dry rub ingredients in a large bowl.
Pat the chicken wings with a paper towel until dry. Place them in the bowl and mix until fully coated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Put seasoned wings on the sheet and bake wing in oven for 20 minutes. Turn wings over and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and an internal meat thermometer registers 165°F.
Make the lemon honey sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, honey, hot sauce, lemon juice and chili sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Pour sauce into a large, heatproof bowl, put wings in the bowl and stir to coat with the sauce.
Serve on a platter with an extra sprinkle of lemon pepper.
If you want the wings to be crispier, place the coated chicken wings back onto the baking sheet, turn oven to broil and broil them just for a minute or two. Watch them carefully so they don't burn. The sugar in the honey increases the potential for burning. But 1-2 minute under the broiler is more than enough.
Remove wings to a platter. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the reserved lemon pepper seasoning over the wings before serving.

Notes

*Substitute Frank's Red hot sauce or buffalo sauce if you prefer.

*Use regular honey or a sugar free honey alternative.

*You can substitute regular sweet chili sauce for the sugar free. Or combine chili sauce with 2 tablespoons sugar for the sugar free brand.

*Taste the sauce before putting the cooked wing in the bowl. Adjust sweetness or spiciness as you prefer.