Hi Mark,

That’s a totally fair dilemma — keeping the dish flavorful and authentic while respecting your wife’s spice tolerance. You’re not alone in that challenge! The good news is: yes, there are chilies and chili-adjacent options that bring deep flavor without the searing heat.
Here are some flavorful low-heat or no-heat chili options you can cook into the dish:
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1. Kashmiri Chilies (or Kashmiri chili powder)
• Heat: Mild
• Flavor: Smoky, slightly fruity, rich color
• Use: Replace dried red chilies in the paste. They’ll give you gorgeous color and warm flavor without much heat.
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2. Aleppo Pepper
• Heat: Mild to medium (more of a tingle)
• Flavor: Sweet, tangy, a bit raisin-y
• Use: Add to the paste or stir into the dish later if you want more control.
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3. Guajillo or Ancho Chilies (used in Mexican cooking)
• Heat: Mild
• Flavor: Earthy, sweet, dried fruit, slightly smoky
• Use: Soak and blend into your curry paste for complexity.
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4. Sweet Paprika or Smoked Paprika
• Heat: None (unless you accidentally grab the hot version)
• Flavor: Smoky or sweet, depending on the type
• Use: Add alongside turmeric and nutmeg for extra depth without burn.
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Alternative: Make Two Versions from One Base
Since the paste is the flavor backbone here, you could:
1. Make the paste without any spicy chilies — use Kashmiri or sweet paprika instead.
2. Split the curry after the chicken is browned and the broth is in — and then stir some chili oil, chopped Thai chilies, or a spoonful of sambal into your half.
This keeps the cooking straightforward while giving both of you what you want.

Let us know which options you try and how you like it.

Hi Marcy,

I updated the recipe to have 6 cups of cooked rice. With the rice it is 64g carbs, without it is 19g carbs. I hope that helps.

– Linda