King Ranch Chicken Soup

Topping:
1 avocado, cut into cubes
1 large Roma tomato, cut into small dice
1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional) pinch of salt
Soup:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, very finely minced
2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
4 cups chicken broth
5 drops Tabasco sauce, or to taste
2 cups half-and half
1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into small cubes
2 cups Velveeta cheese, cut into small cubes
Garnish:
3 corn tortillas, cut into wide strips
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
Lime slices or wedges

Make the topping by combining avocado, tomato, onion, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Stir well and refrigerate while soup cooks.
In a large dutch oven, heat the oil and saut onion and celery 2 3 minutes until vegetables are transparent. Add garlic and stir and cook another minute until fragrant. Toss chicken with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and add to the pan. Saute, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Add tomatoes, broth and Tabasco, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 20 minutes. Combine half-and-half and cream cheese in a microwaveable bowl and microwave on half-power in 30 second increments until cream cheese is melted. Stir until smooth then add to the soup along with the Velveeta. Simmer and stir until cheese is melted and soup is smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Serve ladled into individual bowls, topped with a spoonful of the topping, some of the fried tortilla strips and pass lime wedges at the table to add to each serving as desired.