Place the cut up chicken in a ziplock bag, pour in the olive oil, and pour in half the spice mix. Save the other half of the spice for the next time you make this recipe.
Smoosh it all up together so that the chicken is evenly coated in the oil and spices.
At this point, you could freeze it for later cooking, or you could leave it in the fridge to marinate for as long as you have. I'd make one batch now and freeze one.
When you're ready to cook it, heat the Instant Pot on sauté and when it's hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Let it sear for a few minutes and then flip over.
Add the onions in there. Traditionally, it's not cooked with onions, but we need something to add flavor to the broth and the chicken, and onions not only add flavor, but they also release a little water so it means you've got to add less plain water to the Instant Pot.
Pour in the 1/4 c of water, deglaze the pan if needed, and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, using QPR
Remove chicken and cut into smaller bites but don't shred.