Heat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set a wire rack on top. The rack lifts the peppers off the pan so their bottoms roast instead of sitting in the liquid they release.

Cut each jalapeno in half lengthwise and leave the stem on, since it makes a natural handle later. Scoop out the seeds and the white ribs with a small spoon, then pat the insides dry with a paper towel. Leave the ribs in a few halves if you want more heat.

Stir the vegan cream cheese, shredded vegan cheddar, nutritional yeast, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, salt, and pepper together in a bowl until the mixture is smooth. It should be thick enough to hold a mound on a spoon.

Spoon the filling into the pepper halves and mound it slightly above the rim. Don't pack it flat, and don't overfill, or the filling can slide off as it bakes.

Toss the panko with the olive oil and scatter it over the tops. The oil helps the crumbs brown, so keep the layer light to keep the topping crisp.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the tops are golden brown. If the crumbs brown before the peppers soften, tent the tray loosely with foil.

Let the poppers cool on the rack for about five minutes before serving, since the filling is very hot straight from the oven.