Place the diced or shredded chicken, beans, salsa verde, cumin, chicken broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in a large resealable freezer bag.
Remove the excess air, seal, and freeze.
Instant Pot instructions:
Remove from freezer to thaw.
Dump the bag contents into the Instant Pot.
Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
When done, manually release the pressure.
Remove the bay leaf. Stir and enjoy.
If desired, you can top it with shredded cheese and diced avocado.
Slow cooker instructions:
Remove the bag from the freezer to thaw.
Place the bag contents into the Crock-Pot.
Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours.
Remove the bay leaf before serving.
If you want, you can top the soup with shredded cheese and diced avocado.
Stovetop instructions:
Thaw.
Place in a large pot on the stovetop.
Bring to a simmer on medium heat and then turn heat to low.
Simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally, or until beans are tender and flavors are blended.
Remove the bay leaf and serve, topping with shredded cheese and diced avocado if desired.
Notes
If you prefer to use dry beans as opposed to canned, you will need to soak 1 1/2 cups of dry beans in cold water for at least 8 hours first. Allow them to sit at room temperature in the water for 8 hours, then rinse and drain the beans before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.