appetizers
Chicken Wings – Hot & Lemon Pepper
Wingz, nuff said! These RizzieFarms Chicken Wings are built for game days, cookouts, and casual gatherings. Start with 30 wings, trimmed and separated, then cook them either on the grill for smoky flavor or in the fryer for classic crispiness. Toss a batch in a buttery hot sauce made with your favorite 24 oz bottle of hot sauce and a pinch of cayenne for heat, or brighten things up with fresh-squeezed lemon and lemon pepper seasoning. Serve with celery, carrots, bleu cheese dressing, and a cold beer for the full experience.
Ingredients
Wings
- 30 chicken wings, whole or separated
- Oil for frying (if using fryer, amount per fryer directions)
Hot Wings Sauce
- 1 (24 oz) bottle hot sauce (Texas Pete recommended)
- 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste, for extra heat)
Lemon Pepper Wings
- 2 fresh lemons, divided
- 2 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
To Serve (Optional)
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
- Bleu cheese dressing
- Cold beer
Instructions
- Prep the wings: If the **30 chicken wings** are whole, trim off the tips and discard. Separate each wing at the joint into drumettes and flats so you have about 60 pieces.
- For grilled wings: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Place the **trimmed wing pieces** on the grill and cook undisturbed for about **10 minutes**. Turn the wings and continue cooking for another **10–20 minutes**, turning as necessary, until the drumettes and flats are cooked through. Cut into a drumette to check for doneness; juices should run clear and meat should not be pink.
- For fried wings: Heat enough **oil for frying** in a deep fryer or heavy pot to about **350°F**, following your fryer’s directions. When the oil reaches 350°F, add the **trimmed wing pieces** in batches and fry for about **14 minutes**. Wings will start to float after about **10 minutes**. Remove the wings to a plate or tray lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Make the hot wing sauce: In a saucepan over low heat, melt **1 stick butter (1/2 cup)**. Stir in **1 (24 oz) bottle hot sauce** and **1/8 tsp cayenne pepper** (add more cayenne if you like hotter wings). Heat just until warmed and combined.
- Coat for hot wings: Place a portion of the cooked **grilled or fried wings** into a large bowl and pour some of the **hot sauce mixture** over them. Toss until the wings are thoroughly coated with the hot sauce made from **butter, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper**. For extra flavor, you can place the coated wings on a cookie sheet and return them to the grill for about **5 minutes** to set the sauce.
- Season for lemon pepper wings: For a separate batch, place some of the cooked **grilled or fried wings** in a bowl. Squeeze the juice of **1 fresh lemon** over the wings and toss. Sprinkle with **2 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning** and toss again to coat. Just before serving, squeeze the juice of the **second lemon** over the lemon pepper wings for a bright finish.
- Serve: Arrange the **hot wings** and **lemon pepper wings** on a platter. Serve with **celery sticks, carrot sticks, bleu cheese dressing**, and a **cold beer** if desired.
Notes
- Grilling the wings gives them a smoky flavor and avoids the extra oil from deep frying.
- Frying produces a super-crispy texture—perfect if you want classic bar-style wings.
- Adjust the **1/8 tsp cayenne pepper** to control the heat level; start small and add more as desired.
- For extra-crisp grilled wings, pat them very dry before grilling and avoid moving them too often.
- You can easily split the 30 wings into half hot and half lemon pepper so guests can choose their favorite flavor.