Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or nonstick foil). Set aside.
Make Topping:
In a small bowl, stir together panko, olive oil, and garlic powder until well mixed. Season to taste with salt. Set aside.
Make Filling:
In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, shredded cheese, chiles, and garlic powder until well blended. Season to taste with salt.
Fill + Bake Peppers:
Place pepper halves on prepared baking sheet.
Stuff peppers with cream cheese filling, then sprinkle with panko topping.
Bake peppers until they are hot and panko topping is golden brown (about 20 to 25 minutes).
Serve peppers hot. Enjoy!
Notes
Peppers - Look for bags of mini sweet peppers (mini bell peppers) in the produce section of your grocery store. The number of peppers in each bag will vary slightly, depending on their size. My bag had 18 peppers, which made 36 peppers halves.Chiles - Choose mild, medium, or hot chiles to can make these poppers are mild or as spicy as you'd like. For extra heat, mix in your fave hot sauce.Make Ahead - To prep the poppers for a party, make the filling and stuff the peppers in advance, then cover and refrigerate them. Stir the panko topping together, and sprinkle it over the peppers, just before baking.More - Check out the info before this recipe card for helpful tips, step by step photos, variations, serving suggestions, and more!