Your first pub is the most important, just to show your academic inclination. I'd say, try to bring your project to completion as long as it's not overly laborious. Also, if a publication is not on the horizon (which can take longer with bench work), then don't waste your time and move to an IR project. I think with the new residency, showing a dedicated and prolonged interest in the field is critical. It's not about who pumped out the highest volume of publications