Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry with paper towel — take your time here. The drier the skin, the crispier the result.
Place them on a wire rack set over a baking tray and leave them uncovered in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight. This step is optional but genuinely worth doing if you have the time.
Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Line a large baking tray with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with cooking oil.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the dried wings with the baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt until every piece is lightly coated. Make sure the coating is even — this is what gives you uniform crunch across every wing.
Arrange the wings on the wire rack in a single layer, skin side up, with a little space between each piece. This is important crowding the pan traps steam and softens the skin.
Bake for 25 minutes, then flip each wing and bake for a further 20–25 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden, visibly bubbled, and crisp to the touch.
While the wings are in the oven, combine the lemon zest, cracked black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and remaining salt in a small bowl. Mix well.
The zest will be fragrant and slightly damp this is exactly right. It means the flavour is fresh and the oils are fully intact.
Remove the wings from the oven and transfer immediately to a large bowl. Drizzle over the melted butter or olive oil, then sprinkle the lemon pepper seasoning over the top. Toss well to coat every piece.
Taste one and adjust more lemon zest, more pepper, a little extra salt until it's exactly right for you.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side, and a cold drink within reach.