Calling all chicken wing lovers! You won’t be able to get enough of these tasty wings! Super crispy on the outside, tender & moist in the middle & the best lemon flavor you’ll ever taste!
I come from a huge football loving family so game days were always a big deal at my house. (Plus Charlie’s a huge football fanatic too so I’m envisioning a lot of game day snacks and treats in my future…) So I better start stocking up on all of those recipes now right?! And one snack that always goes over well with our guests is wings. But not just any wings, oh no, specifically these lemon garlic chicken wings! They’re crispy on the outside while still tender in the middle and are packed full of so much lemon flavor!
Ingredients
One of the many reasons I love making wings for a game day snack is because they’re so easy and simple and only require a handful of ingredients too! I just stop by my local Sprouts to pick up everything I need, come home and these bad boys are ready for our guests in no time at all! (I’ve always found that Sprouts has the best prices and “bang for my buck” when it comes to wings and I love that I can get the rest of my ingredients there too! Here is everything that you’ll need below:
- Chicken wings: Make sure to buy chicken wings that have the “wing” and “drumette” separated. (They take much less time to cook and are much easier to handle.)
- Lemon juice: Adds a little bit of freshness to your wings while packing a punch of flavor too!
- Lemon zest: Helps to really bring out that lemon flavor!
- Avocado oil: Helps to crisp up the wings. (I personally LOVE using avocado oil for most recipes because it can make things crispier due to it’s high smoking point. A high smoke point just means that the oil can cook ingredeints at a higher temperature without burning so easily.)
- Garlic: Compliments the lemon flavor and provides some aromatics too!
- Seasonings- paprika, salt & pepper: Elevates each individual flavor and gives the wings some color too!
What makes these wings healthier?
First and foremost, these wings are BAKED instead of FRIED! Which means we’re using much less oil than traditional wings so they’re won’t be any oily residue while eating them. There’s also no butter, no flour and no breading on these wings too so they’re perfect for anyone who’s gluten free or dairy free!
How to make oven baked wings
This is by far my favorite way to cook wings because they’re able to get crispy on the outside while still staying incredibly tender in the center. Here’s the method I use every time!
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line a large rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Place a large wired rack on the pan and set it aside.
- Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, garlic, paprika and salt and pepper together in a bowl. Set it aside. Then pat your chicken wings dry with a paper towel and place them in a large plastic bag. Add your lemon mixture to the bag and shake it to coat completely coat the wings. (You can also let the chicken wings marinate for 30 minutes – 1 hour in the bag too.)
- Next, spray your wired rack with non-stick cooking spray and place the wings on your rack. (Make sure the wings are spead out far enough so that they’re not touching each other.) Bake the wings for 30-35 minutes.
- Once done, squeeze a little extra lemon over the top right before serving.
Tips for making the best lemon & garlic chicken wings
- Make sure to spray your wired rack with non-stick cooking spray or the chicken wings with stick to the rack!
- For extra flavor: Reserve ¼ cup of your mariande BEFORE adding it to the bag with your chicken. Brush this reserved marinade over your wings right after they’re done cooking.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan! If the chicken wings are touching while they bake then they won’t crisp up as well. Make sure they’re spread out evenly in the pan.
More recipes you might like:
- Baked Cajun Chicken Wings with Avocado Lime Sauce
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Wings
- Easy Mexican Street Corn Dip
- Lightened Up Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Dip
- Black Bean, Corn & Avocado Salsa
[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!]
Crispy Lemon Garlic Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken wings
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Place a large wired rack on top of the pan and set it aside while you prepare your wings.
- Next, mix the lemon juice, lemon zest, oil, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper together in a bowl and set it aside. Pat your chicken wings dry with a paper towel and place them in a large plastic bag. Add your lemon mixture to the bag and shake it until the wings are completely coated.
- Next, spray your wired rack with non-stick cooking spray and place your wings on the rack. (Make sure the wings are spread out enough so they aren't touching each other.) Bake your wings for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once they're done, squeeze a little extra lemon over the top and serve them immediately!
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