Lemon Herb Chicken Wings
I haven’t made chicken wings in a few years, but I couldn’t tell you why. But one lazy afternoon I was looking for something easy to make for dinner and somehow we decided on chicken wings. And then I made them twice in one week. Same spice blend, one batch baked and one batch grilled. Both delicious.
Paxton, age 5, said “There’s a party going on inside my tummy!” and then rated it 4 thumbs up. And then he proceeded to eat at least 2-3 times more wings than I did, no exaggeration.
Although I do prefer them on the grill (I love that extra bit of char flavor they pick up), the oven is easier with less hands-on and, of course, during less-than-ideal-grilling weather. Both sets of instructions are included below.
First make your spice blend: salt, paprika, granulated garlic, black pepper, and dried parsley, basil, thyme, oregano. Then zest part of a lemon right in there.
Put the wings into a large mixing bowl and then pour the spices and some olive oil over the wings. Mix them well to ensure they are all evenly coated.
Baking instructions: Set up an oven-proof rack in a baking sheet and then lay the wings on top as spaced as possible to ensure crispy skin.
Bake at 400 for about 40-45 minutes until the skin is crispy and the wings are cooked through, at least 165 degrees. Remove from oven and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with extra lemon wedges.
Grilling instructions: I set up my gas grill for 2 zones – one side as hot as possible and the other side off. When hot, sear the wings for about 2-3 minutes on each side on the hot side of the grill, until they are browned with just a hint of char. Then move them over to the side of the grill that is off, close the lid, and let the wings cook through, about 25 to 30 minutes.
My grill holds a temp of about 375 – 400 degrees with one side of the grill on high, the other off, and the lid closed. If your grill runs hotter, turn the burners down a bit. If your grill runs cooler, you may need to increase the cooking time of the wings.
Remove from the grill and finish with a squeeze of lemon.
Serve with extra lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce, if desired. I made a roasted red pepper yogurt sauce to serve with these … mmmmmm! Enjoy!
Lemon Herb Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 3 lbs chicken wings (prefarbly broken into drummettes and wings)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- lemon juice, to taste
Lemon Herb Spice Blend
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp heaping lemon zest
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredietns for the spice blend in a small bowl and set aside.
- Put the wings into a large bowl with the oil and spice blend. Mix until the chicken is evenly coated with the spices.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Place an oven-proof rack on a baking sheet and lay wings in a single layer and as spread apart as possible. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the skin is crispy and the wings are cooked through (with an internal temperature of at least 165° F).
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with additional lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Grilling Instructions (for a gas grill)
- Set up one side of the gas grill as hot as it can go and keep the other side off.
- Sear the chicken wings for 2 – 3 minutes on each side over the hot side then move to the cooler side. Close the lid and let the wings cook on the cool side for about 25-30 more minutes.
- Note: My grill holds a temperature of about 375 – 400° with one side of the grill on high and the other side off. If your grill runs hotter, reduce the temperature a bit. If your grill runs cooler, cook the chicken wings for a few extra minutes.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with additional lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!