Preheat your oven to 375°F. While it heats, prepare all your ingredients: halve the bell peppers lengthwise, remove and discard the seeds and membranes, then set them aside in a 9x13 inch baking dish (or similar size). Finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces, mince the garlic, and measure out all your spices (chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt) into a small bowl for easy access during cooking.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 3 minutes until fragrant and the onion begins to soften. Add the ground turkey and the spice mixture from Step 1 (chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, and salt), breaking up the turkey with a spoon as it cooks until it's completely browned and no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes. I like to let the turkey develop a slight crust on the bottom of the pan before stirring—this adds extra flavor depth to the filling.

Stir in the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 1 cup of salsa, cooked and cooled rice, corn, rinsed black beans, and cilantro into the cooked turkey mixture from Step 2. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly, then cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. This brief cooking time allows the flavors to meld while the filling stays moist. The cooled rice prevents the filling from becoming mushy, and the tomatoes and salsa provide the sauce that keeps everything tender during baking.

Divide the filling from Step 3 evenly among the prepared pepper halves in your baking dish, mounding it slightly. Distribute the remaining 1 1/4 cups of salsa evenly over the top of the filled peppers. Pour the 1/2 cup water into the bottom of the baking dish (not over the peppers). This creates steam during baking that helps soften the peppers and keeps everything moist.

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 35 minutes until the peppers are tender when pierced with a knife. Carefully remove the foil (watch for steam), sprinkle the cheese evenly over all the pepper halves, then return to the oven uncovered for 5 more minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. I prefer using sharp cheddar like Tillamook because it melts smoothly and adds a richer flavor than mild varieties.

Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. The peppers can be plated directly from the dish. Serve hot with extra cilantro sprinkled on top if desired.