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1
Poach the whole chicken in unsalted water, keeping the liquid at a bare simmer throughout. Remove when the juices at the thigh joint run completely clear. Set aside and cool to room temperature — do not rush this stage; a warm bird will tear rather than smash cleanly.
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2
Make the Sichuan peppercorn oil: heat a small quantity of neutral oil until it shimmers, add the Sichuan peppercorn, and steep off the heat until the oil is fragrant and carries a controlled numbing quality. Strain and reserve.
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3
Whisk together the sesame paste, soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, sugar, chili oil, and Sichuan peppercorn oil into a dressing. It must be thick enough to coat a spoon heavily and pool when poured — a thin dressing is a failed dressing.
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4
Remove the breasts and legs from the cooled chicken. This is where the dish lives or dies: using a rolling pin, deliver firm, decisive strokes along the grain of the meat — not aggressive hammering, but controlled, rhythmic beats. The fibres must visibly separate and become stringy, with rough, uneven surfaces. Slicing the chicken instead is a fundamental error; the texture cannot be recovered by any other means.
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5
Arrange the julienned cucumber in an even layer across the serving plate. It provides the cool, crunchy base beneath the chicken.
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6
Lay the smashed chicken over the cucumber. Pour the sesame dressing generously over the top — it should pool visibly in the valleys and crevices of the shredded meat, saturating every fibre. The dish is served at room temperature or slightly cool; never warm.
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7
Finish with toasted sesame seeds, crispy garlic, and a drizzle of sesame paste thinned to a flowing consistency. Serve immediately once dressed.