A method for making a coated cutting insert, as well as the coated cutting insert, includes a step of providing a substrate which has a surface, and depositing a CVD coating layer of titanium oxycarbonitride. The gaseous mixture from which the coating layer of titanium oxycarbonitride is deposited has a composition of nitrogen, methane hydrogen chloride, titanium tetrachloride, acetonitrile, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen. The coating layer of titanium oxycarbonitride comprises titanium oxycarbonitride whiskers having as measured in a two-dimensional plane view an average length greater than about 1.0 μm, an average width greater than about 0.2 μm, and an average aspect ratio greater than about 2.0.