Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set it aside. This will be used to keep your cooked poppers warm while you finish air frying the rest. Preheat your oven to 200°F to keep them warm without overcooking.

Put on gloves (highly recommended to prevent irritation from the jalapenos). Slice each jalapeno in half lengthwise and use a spoon to carefully remove the seeds and membranes. The more seeds you remove, the milder the spice level. Set the prepared jalapeno halves aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the shredded cheddar cheese, softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, crumbled bacon, diced pickled jalapenos, and diced red onion. Sprinkle in half of the garlic salt and half of the paprika. Stir everything together until well combined and smooth. Set aside.

In a separate small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with the remaining garlic salt and paprika. This will add an extra layer of crunch to your poppers. Set aside.

Using a spoon, generously fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture, pressing it down slightly to ensure it is packed in. Since the peppers will soften slightly as they cook, don’t overfill to the point where it spills over.

Sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over each stuffed jalapeno, gently pressing it onto the filling so it sticks. This step gives the poppers a crispy, golden topping once air-fried.

Preheat your air fryer to 380°F. Arrange 6-8 stuffed jalapenos in the air fryer basket, making sure they have some space between them for proper airflow. Avoid overcrowding, work in batches if needed.

Air fry the jalapeno poppers for 6-7 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and crispy. Check on them around the 5-minute mark to ensure they don’t over-brown.

Once cooked, transfer the poppers to the prepared baking sheet and place them in the preheated oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining batches.

Serve the poppers hot with a side of ranch dressing for dipping, if desired.