Smoked Lemon Pepper Wings

This is no ordinary chicken wing fare. These lemon pepper wings matched tangy lemon, spicy black pepper, and BBQ char to deliver irresistible smoky goodness all in one bite.

Boasting homemade lemon pepper seasoning, this recipe ditches the store-bought stuff and ramps up the flavor big time. And by basting the chicken with our lemon butter, these wings have flavor loaded into each and every bite. The match of smoky char and zesty lemon kick is unlike any other kind of wing out there.

Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings

A BBQ spin on a Miami and Atlanta classic, smoked lemon pepper wings are slow-smoked chicken wings coated in a homemade seasoning made of lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. They deliver an incredible blend of citrusy tang, peppery heat, and, of course, smoke.

The exact birthplace of lemon pepper wings is a bit of a mystery. Both Miami and Atlanta stake claims, with some suggesting that the lemon pepper kick was originally added to Buffalo wings to tone down the heat. Whatever the origin, this deliciously crispy wing packs a citrusy punch that’s easy to replicate on the smoker.

For this recipe, we season the wings with a homemade rub made from dried lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. We then smoke them low and slow before cranking up the heat to give them a bit of char while we baste them in lemon butter to really lock in that flavor and keep the chicken succulent.

And it really is as simple as that. Some people like to add garlic or onion powder to the seasoning, but I prefer to let those three ingredients shine.

How to Smoke Lemon Pepper Wings

1. Fire Up

Fire up your smoker to 225-250°F (107-120°C). If you are using a charcoal grill (like a Kettle-style grill), set it up for 2-zone indirect grilling with the lit coals arranged to one side for the direct side.

2. Zest

Zest the lemons and arrange the zest on a lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet on your smoker’s grates and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the lemon zest has completely dried out and has an almost crumble-like texture.

3. Season

Add the dried lemon zest, along with the black pepper and salt, to a pestle and mortar. Grind together until thoroughly combined together. Divide into a ratio of 3:1, with most of the seasoning mix to be used on the chicken, and then the other to be used for the lemon butter later.

Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. Add a little bit of olive oil as a binder to the surface of the meat, then season with the lemon pepper rub. Apply as liberally as possible.

4. Smoke

Place the chicken wings in the smoker, making sure to leave about a good half-inch of space between each one. Smoke for about an hour.

5. Baste

While the wings are cooking, melt butter in a small saucepan. Add the lemon juice and remaining lemon pepper seasoning, and keep stirring until fully incorporated.

Let the smoker temperature come up a bit, anywhere up to about 350°F (175°C). Baste the wings with the lemon pepper butter, and keep cooking until the chicken’s internal temperature hits 165°F (74°C).

6. Serve

Once the wings are crisp and cooked through, remove them from the smoker and serve them right away. For a bit of garnish, you can’t go wrong with some chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

Smoked Lemon Pepper Wings

These easy smoked lemon pepper wings blend tangy, crispy, and smoky in one perfect barbecue dish. Made with a simple homemade lemon pepper seasoning and glazed with lemon butter, these are unlike any other BBQ wing you’ve had before.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

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• 2 lbs chicken wings
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Lemon Black Pepper Seasoning

• 6 tbsp lemon zest
• 3 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 tsp salt

Lemon Black Pepper Butter

• 5 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon black pepper seasoning ingredients above

Instructions

 

• Preheat the smoker to 225-250°F (107-120°C)
• Arrange the lemon zest on a baking sheet. Cook in the smoker for 15-20 minutes until dried out and easy to crumble.
• Add the dried lemon zest to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar with the black pepper and salt and work until thoroughly combined. Keep 3 tbsp to season the chicken, 1 tsp to add to the butter, and store any remaining rub in an airtight container for future use.
• Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel and season with 3 tbsp of lemon and black pepper rub. Use your hands to ensure the wings are thoroughly coated.
• Place wings in the smoker (leaving space between them) and smoke for 1-1 ½ hours, or until the internal temperature reads 165°F (75°C).
• While the wings are cooking, in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter with the lemon juice and lemon pepper seasoning to create the lemon black pepper butter. Set aside.
• Increase the smoker temperature to 350°F (175°C) and cook the wings for a further 10 minutes. While the wings cook, baste them with the lemon black pepper butter.
• Once the wings are crisp and cooked through, remove from the smoker and serve

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