Craving the zesty allure of Buffalo Wild Wings Lemon Pepper Wings? This easy copycat recipe brings that irresistible flavor straight to your kitchen. Imagine crispy chicken wings generously coated in a mouthwatering lemon pepper sauce that’s the epitome of tangy and savory goodness.
After countless attempts to recreate that distinctive taste, I’ve cracked the code with this surprisingly simple three-ingredient sauce. The secret lies in combining fresh lemon zest with high-quality lemon pepper seasoning and butter, creating that signature restaurant flavor at home. These wings disappear faster than any spicy variety I’ve ever made.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The magic happens in the sauce technique and proper frying temperature. Fresh lemon zest provides bright citrus oils that can’t be replicated with juice alone, while high-quality lemon pepper seasoning delivers the perfect balance of spice. Maintaining oil temperature at 375°F ensures crispy skin that holds the sauce beautifully.
The butter-based sauce coats evenly and doesn’t slide off like oil-based alternatives, creating that signature Buffalo Wild Wings experience where every bite delivers consistent flavor.
Copycat Buffalo Wild Wings Lemon Pepper Wings Ingredients
For the Chicken Wings:
- Vegetable oil – Provides neutral flavor and high smoke point for perfect deep frying
- Chicken wings – Fresh wings separated into drumettes and wingettes for even cooking
- Lemon pepper sauce – Coats wings with signature tangy, buttery flavor
For the Lemon Pepper Sauce:
- Fresh lemon – Provides bright citrus oils through zest that enhance overall flavor
- Unsalted butter – It’s a rich base that helps sauce adhere to wings perfectly
- Lemon pepper seasoning – Delivers signature spice blend with aromatic complexity
Since you’ll eat the grated lemon rind, use an organic lemon without any wax and wash it well with a vegetable spray before zesting.
You can pick up Buffalo Wild Wings Lemon Pepper Seasoning in stores, but your favorite lemon pepper blend will work fine for this wings recipe.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Buffalo Wings
To fry the chicken wings:
- While letting the chicken wings come up to room temperature, preheat the oil to 375°F. Use a deep fryer if you have one; otherwise, heat the cooking oil in a pot with a heavy bottom to help control the heat. A good deep-fry thermometer that clips onto the pot is essential.
- Dry off the chicken with a paper towel, and when the oil reaches 375°F, add five or six wings to the pot. Watch the thermometer to ensure it doesn’t drop below 350°F.
- Fry the chicken for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown. To be extra safe, use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the internal temp is 165°F.
- Use a skimmer or tongs to transfer the cooked wings to a wire rack on a baking sheet. Put the sheet pan in an oven set to WARM while making the rest of the wings. You can prepare the Lemon Pepper Sauce recipe while waiting for the last batch of wings to fry.
To prepare the Buffalo Wild Wings Lemon Pepper Sauce:
- Wash and rinse the lemon. Use a fine grater or a microplane to remove just the yellow part of the lemon rind. Save the zest for later.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. The butter should never come to a simmer.
- Stir in the lemon zest and lemon pepper seasoning. Skim off the foam if desired.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and cover to keep warm.
To make the lemon pepper wings:
- Place some of the hot chicken wings in a large bowl.
- Add some of the lemon pepper sauce mixture.
- Toss the wings to coat them with the sauce, give them a good mix.
- Repeat with the remaining wings and sauce.
- If desired, you can add some extra lemon pepper seasoning, but you should serve hot and enjoy.
Buffalo Wild Wings Lemon Pepper Sauce vs. Dry Rub
Buffalo Wild Wings sells both Lemon Pepper Seasoning and Lemon Pepper Sauce. Both options have very similar flavor profiles, but the main difference lies in the melted butter, which gives the sauce a richer, yet less acidic, taste.
What to Serve These Wings
Skip the standard raw veggies and fries and get much more creative with the sides:
- Coleslaw. Traditional coleslaw is creamy and mild enough to highlight the taste of the wings while still adding a lot of crunch.
- Fried Plantain Chips. Although similar to potato chips, plantains are sweeter and taste wonderful with citrus.
- Roasted Vegetables. A melody of carrots, parsnips, and potatoes slow-roasted in the oven will bring an earthy sweetness to the meal.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store leftover wings in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Sauce may separate, but will redistribute when reheated.
- Reheating Method: Air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes or oven at 375°F for 8 minutes on wire rack. Check internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Freezing: Not recommended for sauced wings, as texture deteriorates. Freeze plain cooked wings up to 3 months and sauce separately when thawed.
More Buffalo Wild Wings Copycat Recipes
Favorite Lemon Recipes
Make it the most lemony meal from drinks to desserts!
- Homemade Lemonade
- Lemon Drop Martini
- Baked Lemon Pepper Chicken
- Lemon Cream Cheese Pie
- Lemon Lush Dessert
Popular Chicken Wing Recipes
Go beyond the usual wings with Buffalo sauce!
Check out more of my easy appetizer recipes and the best copycat restaurant recipes on CopyKat!
Buffalo Wild Wings Lemon Pepper Wings Easy Copycat
Ingredients
Wings
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- vegetable or canola oil for deep frying
Sauce
- 4 ounces butter
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Instructions
- If necessary, cut the wings into drumettes and wingettes. Be sure to cut off the wing tip (you can save this for making chicken stock). Pat the wings dry with a paper towel.
- In a deep fryer, heat the oil to 375°F. Deep fry the chicken wings for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on their size, until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the wings from the fryer and transfer to a wire rack to drain.
- To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the lemon pepper seasoning and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
- Place 1/4 of the wings in a medium-sized bowl. Add a ladle of sauce and gently toss. Repeat with remaining wings and sauce. Serve immediately.
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