Prep the Instant Pot. Pour 1 cup of water or chicken stock into the inner pot. Place the trivet inside. The trivet keeps the wings elevated above the liquid so they steam instead of boil. If your wings sit in the water, they'll come out waterlogged and flavorless.

Add the wings. Arrange the chicken wings on top of the trivet. They can overlap a bit since they're just steaming at this stage, but try to distribute them evenly. You don't need to season them yet. All the flavor comes later.

Pressure cook. Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. For 3 pounds of wings, 10 minutes is the magic number. Less and the meat won't be tender. More and the texture gets mushy. When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure. The 5-minute natural release prevents the wings from getting hit with a sudden temperature drop, which can make the meat seize up.

Drain and dry the wings. Carefully remove the wings from the Instant Pot using tongs and spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. Pat them dry. This step matters more than you think. Wet wings won't crisp. The drier the surface, the better the skin will brown and tighten under the broiler.

Season the wings. In a large bowl, toss the dried wings with 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter, 1.5 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon baking powder if using. Make sure every wing is coated. The oil helps everything stick and promotes even browning.

Arrange on the baking sheet. Spread the seasoned wings in a single layer on a clean baking sheet or one fitted with a wire rack. Give them a little space. Crowded wings steam. Spaced wings crisp.

Broil. Set your oven to broil on high and position the rack about 6 inches from the heating element. Slide the wings in and broil for 5 minutes. Pull the pan out, flip each wing with tongs, and broil for another 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is golden brown with some charred edges. Watch them closely in the final minutes. Broilers are aggressive and the line between crispy and burnt is thin.

Finish with fresh seasoning. Pull the wings from the oven and immediately toss them in a bowl with the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of lemon pepper seasoning. This second hit of seasoning brings brightness and keeps the flavor from tasting flat or one-note.

Serve them hot, straight from the bowl. The wings are at their peak texture in the first 10 minutes out of the oven. Let them sit too long and the skin softens from trapped steam.