Preheat and Prep Peppers: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Slice the bell peppers in half lengthways and remove the seeds and white membranes. Place them cut-side up in a large baking dish and bake for 15 minutes to soften them slightly. This par-baking step is key!

Sauté Aromatics: While the peppers are in the oven, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Cook the Chicken: Add the chicken mince to the pan. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until it's browned all over, which should take about 6-8 minutes. Drain off any excess fat if necessary.

Create the Sauce: Stir in the tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld together. If it looks a little thick, add the chicken stock.

Combine the Filling: Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cooked rice and the chopped fresh parsley. What works best for me is to let this mixture cool for a few minutes; it makes it easier to handle and stuff into the peppers.

Stuff the Peppers: Carefully remove the par-baked peppers from the oven. Spoon the chicken and rice filling evenly into each pepper half, packing it in gently.

Top with Cheese: Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese generously over the top of each stuffed pepper.

Bake to Perfection: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, or until the peppers are completely tender and the cheese on top is golden brown and bubbling. Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.