sanitation question for chili beer

Well tomorrow I am brewing an ancho chile pale ale and I had a question about sanitation.
I had planned to pitch the chiles directly into the wort along with the yeast but after reading more on the subject I have become worried about sanitation.
I was thinking I could steep the chiles in some 171F water for 10 minutes and add then add everything to the wort as it cools.
Only problem is I am using the chiles in place of an aroma hop addition as to not compete in the flavor/aroma profile of the final beer.
I know boiling will destroy much of the flavor/aroma profile. Not sure if steeping at 171F will do the same.
Or should I just throw them in like I had planned and not worry... RDWHAHB?
Please help!

add the chillies at knock out.

If it's the aroma hop addition, then treat it exactly like you would an aroma hop, anywhere between last 15 minutes and flameout.

If you decide you need some more later, like in secondary, steep it like a tea in 2 cups of boiling water. Put the chiles in a heat proof container, bring water to boil on the stove, as soon as it hits boiling, pour that in the container on top of the chiles. Steep for 10 minutes or so. Then either add everything, including the reconstituted chiles in the primary or secondary, OR strain them with a sanitized strainer.

I like the idea of throwing them in at knockout. Then I'll let it sit for 10 minutes should do the same thing as my steeping idea.
Thanks for the swift response.

I made a beer with serrano peppers and just sanitized the outside, broke them into pieces and tossed them into secondary for a week. Best chili beer I have ever tasted, and got rave reviews.